CHRIST IN ALL THE SERI
SENIOR DIVIM
275, EIRST QUARTER, 19
'Rs
1.4 ,
THE BLESSING OF DAILY STUDY
"The beauty and riches of the word have a transforming influence on mind
and character."—Christ's
Object Lessons,
page 132.
"There is nothing more calculated to strengthen the intellect than the study
of the Scriptures. No other book is so potent to elevate the thoughts, to give
vigor to the faculties, as the broad, ennobling truths of the Bible. If God's
word were studied as it should be, men would have a breadth of mind, a
nobility of character, and a stability of purpose rarely seen in these times."—
Steps
to Christ,
page go.
My Daily Lesson Study Pledge
As one who greatly desires to improve his knowledge of the Scriptures, I pledge
myself to the careful and prayerful study of some portion of my Sabbath school
lesson each day of the week.
Name
Lesson Titles for the Quarter
1.
The Attitude of Jesus Toward the Holy Scriptures
2.
The Testimony of the New Testament to Messianic Prophecy
3.
Prophecies of the Messiah in the Book of Genesis
4.
Exodus, the Book of Redemption
5.
Access to God Through the Atonement, in Leviticus
6.
Glimpses of the Messiah in the Book of Numbers
7.
The Promised Deliverer in Deuteronomy
8.
Redemption in the Historical Books: Joshua and Ruth
9.
Christ in the Psalms
10.
The Messiah in the Prophecies of Isaiah
11.
Christ in Daniel and Some of the Minor Prophets
12.
The Victorious Christ in the Book of Revelation
13.
We Have Found the Messiah
Sabbath School Lesson Quarterly, No. 275, January-March, 1964. 20 cents a single copy, 75 cents a
year (four issues) ; no additional charge to countries requiring extra postage. Published in the U.S.A.
by Pacific Press Publishing Association (a corporation of S.D.A.), 1350 Villa Street, Mountain View,
California. Second-class mail privileges authorized at Mountain View, California. Form 3579 requested.
When a change of address is desired, be sure to send both old and new addresses.
Copyright, 1963, by Pacific Press Publishing Association
Printed in U.S.A.
Sabbath School Lesson Quarterly
CHRIST IN ALL THE SCRIPTURES
GENERAL INTRODUCTION
"Through patriarchs and prophets, as
well as through types and symbols, God
spoke to the world concerning the coming
of a Deliverer from sin. A long line of
inspired prophecy pointed to the advent of
'the Desire of all nations.'
"—Prophets and
Kings,
page 697.
A complete coverage of references to
Christ in all the Scriptures would involve
a study of Biblical history, emblems, typi-
cal names, places, and persons. We, there-
fore, must confine ourselves to a few arbi-
trarily chosen pictures of Christ in the
sacred pages.
There is a clear outline picture running
through the Scriptures, of the Christ that
was to come, and the Christ who is to come
the second time in glory. The promises of
the first advent, some of them studied in
these lessons, were fulfilled. Just as surely
will those related to the second coming be
fulfilled Some prophecies involve both the
first and second advents. May we all
through this study be drawn closer to Christ.
Lesson 1, for January 4, 1964
The Attitude of Jesus Toward the Holy Scriptures
MEMORY VERSE:
"And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded
unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself." Luke 24:27.
STUDY HELPS:
"The Desire of Ages," pages 795-801; "S.D.A. Bible Commentary."
AIM:
To discover our Lord's attitude toward the Holy Scriptures, including the
prophecies, and His manner of applying the Messianic prophecies to Himself.
DAILY STUDY ASSIGNMENT AND RECORD
Check Here
Check Here
Sabbath afternoon: General survey.
Wednesday: Questions 11-13.
Sunday: Questions 1-3.
Thursday:
Read study helps.
Monday: Questions 4-7.
Friday:
Review entire lesson.
Tuesday: Questions 8-10.
Lesson Outline
Introduction
I. Our Lord's Regard for the Holy
Scriptures
1. The importance of Moses' testi-
mony. Luke 16:31.
2.
The relation between the words of
Moses and of Christ. John 5:46, 47.
3.
The significance of prophecy to the
risen Christ. Luke 24:27.
II. Our Lord's Reliance on the Power of
the Word of God
4.
The temptation of Jesus. Matt.
4:3, 6, 9.
[
3
]
5.
The reactions of Jesus. Matt. 4:4,
7, 10.
6.
The source of His victory. Deut.
8:3; 6:16, 13, 14.
7.
The revelation of Jesus. John 5:39.
III. Our Lord's Use of Specific Scriptures
8.
His references to Abraham, Moses,
and David. Matt. 22:45; John
5:46; 8:56.
9.
His public application of Isaiah's
prophecy. Luke 4:16-21.
10.
His use of prophecies relating to
His sacrifice. Luke 22:37.
IV. Our Lord's Consciousness of
Prophetic Fulfillment in Himself
11.
A prediction of the disciples' disap-
pointment. Matt. 26:31.
12.
A prediction of His vicarious suf-
fering. Mark 14:48, 49.
13.
His emphasis on belief in
Messianic prophecy. Luke
24:25, 26.
THE LESSON
Introduction
Jesus and the Scriptures.
"In childhood,
youth, and manhood, Jesus studied the
Scriptures. As a little child He was daily
at His mother's knee taught from the scrolls
of the prophets. In His youth the early
morning and the evening twilight often
found Him alone on the mountainside or
among the trees of the forest, spending a
quiet hour in prayer and the study of God's
word. During His ministry His intimate
acquaintance with the Scriptures testifies
to His diligence in their study. And since
He gained knowledge as we may gain it,
His wonderful power, both mental and
spiritual, is a testimony to the value of
the Bible as a means of education."-Edu-
cation,
page 185.
Our Lord's Regard for the Holy
Scriptures
1.
In one of His parables, how
much importance did Jesus attach to
the teachings of Moses? Luke 16:31.
NOTE.
-Moses "was permitted to look
down the stream of time and behold the
first advent of our
Saviour."-Patriarchs
and Prophets,
page 475. He saw the life,
work, death of Jesus, and the carrying of
the gospel to the whole world, culminating
in the establishment of the kingdom of
God. His writings therefore bear peculiar
testimony to the Lord Jesus Christ. "There
arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto
Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face."
Deut. 34:10.
2.
In what words did Jesus as-
sociate belief in Moses with belief in
Himself? John 5:46, 47.
Nora.-"The ground of Jewish unbelief
having been thus exposed, the discourse con-
cludes by setting the Jews under the con-
demnation, not of Jesus, but of their own
Scriptures and of their own chosen advo-
cate. . . . There is an essential unity be-
tween the work of the Lawgiver and the
work of the Giver of life."-Sir Edwin
Hoskyns,
The Fourth Gospel,
page 275.
3.
To strengthen the faith of two
disciples after the resurrection, to
whose writings did Jesus refer, and
what particular features of these writ-
ings did He mention? Luke 24:27.
NOTE.
-"After His resurrection He ex-
plained to the disciples in 'all the prophets'
`the things concerning Himself.' Luke 24:27.
The Saviour had spoken through all the
prophets. The Spirit of Christ which was
in them' testified beforehand the suffer-
ings of Christ, and the glory that should
follow.' 1 Peter
1:11."-The Desire of Ages,
page 234.
L4
1
Our Lord's Reliance on the Power
of the Word of God
4.
On what three points did the
devil tempt Jesus? Matt. 4:3, 6, 9.
NOTE.—" 'If Thou be the Son of God,
command this stone that it be made bread.'
Such an act of creative power, urges the
tempter, would be conclusive evidence of
divinity. It would bring the controversy to
an end."—The
Desire of Ages,
page 119.
" 'Then the devil taketh Him up into the
Holy City, and setteth Him on a pinnacle
of the temple, and saith unto Him, If Thou
be the Son of God, cast Thyself down: for
it is written, "He shall give His angels
charge concerning Thee: and in their hands
they shall bear Thee up, lest at any time
Thou dash Thy foot against a stone."—
Ibid.,
p. 124.
"Placing Jesus upon a high mountain,
Satan caused the kingdoms of the world, in
all their glory, to pass in panoramic view
before Him. The'sunlight lay on templed
cities, marbled palaces, fertile fields, and
fruit-laden vineyards. The traces of evil
were hidden. The eyes of Jesus, so lately
greeted by gloom and desolation, now gazed
upon a scene of unsurpassed loveliness and
prosperity. Then the tempter's voice was
heard: 'All this power will I give Thee, and
the glory of them: for that is delivered unto
me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. If
Thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be
Thine.' "—Ibid.,
page 129.
5.
What three answers did Jesus
give? Matt. 4:4, 7, 10.
NOTE.—"Jesus met Satan with the words
of Scripture. 'It is written,' He said. In
every temptation the weapon of His war-
fare was the word of God."—The
Desire of
Ages,
page 120.
6.
From what source did Jesus
draw these answers? Deut. 8:3; 6:16,
13, 14.
NoTE.—Jesus had not received a formal
rabbinical education, yet He had an ex-
tensive and intimate knowledge of the
Scriptures. "How knoweth this man let-
ters?" the startled Jews asked one another.
John 7:15.
"Since He gained knowledge as we may
do, His intimate acquaintance with the
Scriptures shows how diligently His early
years were given to the study of God's
word."—The
Desire of Ages,
page 70.
"The Scriptures of the Old Testament
were His constant study, and the words,
`Thus saith the Lord,' were ever upon His
lips. . . . Jesus seemed to know the Scrip-
tures from beginning to end, and He pre-
sented them in their true import."—Ibid.,
pp. 84, 85.
7.
What is the great central theme
of the prophets of old? John 5:39.
Compare Acts 10:43.
Our Lord's Use of Specific
Scriptures
8.
Who were some of the great
worthies of the Old Testament who
were given glimpses of the Messiah?
Matt. 22:45; John 5:46; 8:56.
NOTE.—"Abraham rejoiced to see My
day;" "Moses . . . wrote of Me;" "David
. . . call[ed] him [Christ] Lord."
"We have in these words of our Saviour
abundant authority for seeking Him in the
Old Testament, and also a confirmation of
the truth of the Scriptures themselves. . . .
"Very few realize how abundant are our
Lord's quotations from the Old Testament.
He refers to twenty Old Testament char-
acters. He quotes from nineteen different
books."—A. M. Hodgkin,
Christ in All the
Scriptures,
page 2.
9.
What Messianic prophecy did
Jesus publicly apply to Himself? Luke
4:16-21. Compare Isaiah 61:1, 2.
NoTE.—"When a rabbi was present at
the synagogue, he was expected to deliver
the sermon, and any Israelite might give the
5
reading from the prophets. Upon this Sab-
bath Jesus was requested to take part in
the service. . . .
"Jesus stood before the people as a liv-
ing expositor of the prophecies concerning
Himself. Explaining the words He had
read, He spoke of the Messiah as a re-
liever of the oppressed, a liberator of cap-
tives, a healer of the afflicted, restoring
sight to the blind, and revealing to the
world the light of truth. His impressive
manner and the wonderful import of His
words thrilled the hearers with a power
they had never felt before. The tide of
divine influence broke every barrier down;
like Moses, they beheld the Invisible. As
their hearts were moved upon by the Holy
Spirit, they responded with fervent amens
and praises to the Lord."—The
Desire of
Ages,
page 237.
10.
What passage from Isaiah did
Jesus quote as He explained to the dis-
ciples His approaching death for the
sins of the world? Luke 22:37. Com-
pare Isa. 53:11, 12.
NOTE.—"Christ's position between the
thieves was to indicate that He was the
greatest criminal of the three. Thus was
fulfilled the scripture, 'He was numbered
with the transgressors.' Isa.
53:12."—The
Desire of Ages,
page 751.
As the crucifixion approached there was
a marked solemnity in Christ's use of Mes-
sianic scripture. "Behold, we go up to
Jerusalem, and all things that are written
by the prophets concerning the Son of man
shall be accomplished." Luke 18:31.
Three times, on the night of the betrayal,
Jesus referred to the fulfillment of prophecy.
Matt. 26:31, 53, 54; Mark 14:48, 49. Three
of the seven cries from the cross were
couched in words of Scripture, and the
Saviour died with words of Scripture on
His lips.
Our Lord's Consciousness of
Prophetic Fulfillment in Himself
11.
In the words of what prophecy
did Jesus indicate the effect of His
approaching humiliation? Matt. 26:
31. Compare Zech. 13:7.
"From a worldly point of
view, money is power; but
from the Christian stand-
point, love is power."—T
es-
timonies,
vol. 4, p. 138.
12.
What familiar phrase did Jesus
use in pointing to prophetic fulfill-
ments? Mark 14:48, 49.
NorE.—"The Scriptures must be ful-
filled." This expression was used by Jesus
in connection with prophecies of His im-
pending sufferings and death. Such proph-
ecies as Psalm 22:6-8 and Isaiah 53:7 were
familiar to Jesus, and He gave them a
Messianic application. In Luke 22:37 He
referred to Isaiah 53:12 in this way: "This
that is written must yet be accomplished in
Me." In Luke 24:44, referring to such
prophecies in general, He said after His res-
urrection, "All things must be fulfilled."
13.
In what strong terms did Jesus
stress the importance of belief in Mes-
sianic prophecy? Luke 24:25, 26.
NorE.—The word rendered "fools" here
signifies
not applying the mind,
an
un-
worthy lack of understanding.
"Beginning at Moses, the very Alpha of
Bible history, Christ expounded in all the
Scriptures the things concerning Himself.
Had He first made Himself known to them,
their hearts would have been satisfied. In
the fullness of their joy they would have
hungered for nothing more. But it was
necessary for them to understand the wit-
ness borne to Him by the types and proph-
ecies of the Old Testament. Upon these
their faith must be established. Christ per-
formed no miracle to convince them, but
it was His first work to explain the Scrip-
tures. They had looked upon His death as
the destruction of all their hopes. Now He
showed from the prophets that this was the
very strongest evidence for their faith."—
The Desire of Ages,
pages 796, 799.
C
6]
Lesson 2, for January 11, 1964
The Testimony of the New Testament to Messianic Prophecy
MEMORY VERSE:
"Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God
hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ."
Acts 2:36.
STUDY HELPS:
"Patriarchs and Prophets," pages 366-368; "The Acts of the
Apostles," pages 221, 222; "Gospel Workers," pages 147, 148; "S.D.A. Bible
Commentary."
AIM:
To show that the New Testament writers had the same faith as Jesus in
Messianic prophecy.
DAILY STUDY ASSIGNMENT AND RECORD
Check Here
Check
Here
Sabbath afternoon: General survey.
Wednesday: Questions 11-13.
Sunday:
Questions 1-3.
Thursday:
Read study helps.
Monday: Questions 4-7.
Friday:
Read study helps.
Tuesday:
Questions 8-10._
Lesson Outline
Introduction
I. The Witness at Pentecost
1.
Joel and the outpouring of God's
Spirit. Acts 2:16, 17.
2.
The words of the psalmist. Acts
2:23-27; Ps. 16:8-10.
3.
David's words about the Conquering
One. Acts 2:34-36; Ps. 110:1.
II. The Witness Continued After
Pentecost
4.
Jesus declared to be the Son of the
God of Abraham. Acts 3:13-15.
5.
Testified to by all the prophets.
Acts 3:24.
6.
Christ in Isaiah. Acts 8:35.
7. An application of the promises to
Israel. Acts 13:32-35.
III. Paul's Use of the Old Testament
8. Preaching habitually from Scripture.
Acts 17:2-4.
9. Christ as the focal center of proph-
ecy. Acts 26:19-23.
10. Preaching Christ to the Jews. Acts
28:23, 24.
IV. Other Evidence of Faith in
Messianic Prophecy
11. The prophets inspired by the Spirit
of Christ. 1 Peter 1:10-12.
12. The prophecy of Enoch. Jude
14, 15.
13. The spirit of prophecy, the testi-
mony of Jesus. Rev. 19:10.
THE LESSON
Introduction
ecies. Messianic prophecies are those which
have some teaching regarding the Messiah.
Having seen the vital place given by
They accepted Jesus not only because
Christ to the prophetic word concerning they "were eyewitnesses of His majesty,"
Himself, we now observe the importance but also because His birth, works, death,
which the apostles and New Testament resurrection, and ascension were fulfillments
writers attached to Old Testament proph- of prophecy. They therefore accepted with
C
7]
assurance the predictions of His return to
judge the world. "We have . . . a more
sure word of prophecy," declared Peter.
If Christ and His apostles so completely
accepted the prophetic picture of Messiah,
we too may have confidence in it.
The Witness at Pentecost
1.
What words of Peter indicate
his belief that Pentecost was the ful-
fillment of Old Testament prophecy?
Acts 2:16, 17.
NoTE.—"In answer to the accusation of
the priests [that the believers were drunk]
Peter showed that this demonstration was
in direct fulfillment of the prophecy of Joel,
wherein he foretold that such power would
come upon men to fit them for a special
work."—The
Acts of the Apostles,
page 41.
2.
To what Old Testament predic-
tion did Peter refer when he spoke
of Christ's crucifixion, resurrection,
and ascension to the right hand of
God? Acts 2:23-27; Ps. 16:8-10.
3.
What impressive words of David
did Peter use to prove that Jesus of
Nazareth was both Lord and Christ?
Acts 2:34-36; Ps. 110:1.
NoTE.—"In NT times
Yeshia`,
'Jesus,'
was a common given name for Jewish boys.
It expressed the parents' faith in God and
in His promise of One who would bring
salvation to Israel. The angel Gabriel in-
structed Joseph to call Mary's first-born by
this name, the reason given being, 'He shall
save His people from their sins' (Mt 1:21).
`Christ' was not a personal name by which
people knew Him while on earth, but a
title used to identify Him as the One in
whom the Messianic promises and proph-
ecies of the OT met their fulfillment. To
those who believed in Him as sent of God
He was
the
Christ, that is, the Messiah, the
One 'anointed' by God to be the Saviour
of the world. When used together, as in
Mt 1:18; 16:20; Mk 1:1, the 2 names
Jesus and Christ constitute a confession of
faith that Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of
Mary, is indeed the Christ, the Messiah
(Mt 1:1; Acts
2:38)."—The S.D.A. Bible
Dictionary,
pp. 565, 566.
The name "Christ" means "Messiah,"
"Anointed" (John 1:41, margin). In Him
the highest offices of the old covenant were
united—prophet (1 Kings 19:16), priest
(Lev. 8:12), and king (1 Sam. 10:1), and
He became the way of salvation. The
title "Lord" is taken from Psalm 110:1,
from which Peter is quoting, thus present-
ing Jesus as the Conquering One.
The Witness Continued After
Pentecost
4.
What relationship did Peter say
existed between the God of Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob, and Jesus whom the
Jews slew? Acts 3:13-15.
NoTE.—"When Jesus died, the priests
thought that no more miracles would be
performed among them, that the excite-
ment would die out and the people would
again turn to the traditions of men. But
lo! right among them the disciples were
working miracles, and the people were filled
with amazement. Jesus had been crucified,
and they wondered where His followers had
obtained this power. When He was alive,
they thought that He imparted power to
them; but when He died, they expected
the miracles to cease. Peter understood their
perplexity and said to them, 'Ye men of
Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look
ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own
power or holiness we had made this man
to walk? The God of Abraham, and of
Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fa-
thers, bath glorified His Son Jesus; whom
ye delivered up, and denied Him in the
presence of Pilate, when he was determined
to let Him go. But ye denied the Holy One
and the Just, and desired a murderer to be
granted unto you; and killed the Prince of
life, whom God hath raised from the dead;
whereof we are witnesses. And His name
through faith in His name hath made this
man strong, whom ye see and know.'
"—
Early Writings,
pages 192, 193.
[
87
5.
How many of the prophets did
Peter say had made predictions con-
cerning the days of the Messiah? Acts
3:24.
NoTE.—"All the prophets from Samuel."
"Samuel is named here probably because
with him the prophets of Israel first ap-
pear as a group, particularly in connection
with the schools of the prophets. In the
3d century A.D. Judah ha-Nasi, the compiler
of the Mishnah, referred to Samuel as `the
teacher of the prophets,' . . . and this may
well represent a view current in Peter's
day."—S.D.A. Bible Commentary,
on Acts
3:24.
6.
What explanation of Isaiah 53:7,
8 did Philip give to the Ethiopian
eunuch? Acts 8:35.
NoTE.—"To preach Jesus is the work, not
only of every preacher of the gospel, but
of every Christian, whether the preaching
is done by word or by the witness of the
daily life. Whatever the announced subject
of a sermon, its burden should be Jesus
Christ."—S.D.A.
Bible Commentary,
on
Acts 8:35.
7.
When at Antioch, of what did
Paul say the resurrection of Jesus was
a fulfillment? Acts 13:32-35.
NoTE.—It is clear from the whole con-
text (Acts 13:32-37) that Paul expanded his
sermon on the promises to include the resur-
rection and divine Sonship.
Paul's Use of the Old Testament
8.
What customary use did Paul
make of the Messianic prophecies, and
with what results? Acts 17:2-4.
NOTE.—"In preaching to the Thessaloni-
ans, Paul appealed to the Old Testament
prophecies concerning the Messiah. Christ
in His ministry had opened the minds of
His disciples to these prophecies; 'beginning
at Moses and all the prophets, He ex-
pounded unto them in all the Scriptures
the things concerning Himself.' Luke 24:27.
Peter in preaching Christ had produced his
evidence from the Old Testament. Stephen
had pursued the same course. And Paul
also in his ministry appealed to the scrip-
tures foretelling the birth, sufferings, death,
resurrection, and ascension of Christ. By
the inspired testimony of Moses and the
prophets he clearly proved the identity of
Jesus of Nazareth with the Messiah and
showed that from the days of Adam it
was the voice of Christ which had been
speaking through patriarchs and prophets."
--The Acts of the Apostles,
pages 221, 222.
9.
What witness did Paul bear be-
fore King Agrippa? Acts 26:19-23.
NoTE.—Of Paul's early preaching in Da-
mascus we are told: "In his presentation of
the gospel he sought to make plain the
prophecies relating to the first advent of
Christ. He showed conclusively that these
prophecies had been literally fulfilled in
Jesus of Nazareth. The foundation of his
faith was the sure word of prophecy."—
The Acts of the Apostles,
page 125.
In Acts 26 Paul, advanced in years, bear-
ing battle scars, and in chains, stands be-
fore Festus, Agrippa, and Bernice. He is
still " 'saying none other things than those
which the prophets and Moses did say
should come: that Christ should suffer, and
that He should be the first that should rise
from the dead, and should show light unto
the people, and to the Gentiles.'
"—Ibid.,
p. 437.
10.
How, and with what result, did
Paul appeal to the Jews who came to
hear him in Rome? Acts 28:23, 24.
NoTE.—It was now some thirty years
after the crucifixion, and this great warrior
is still testifying of the kingdom of God,
"persuading them concerning Jesus, both
out of the law of Moses, and out of the
prophets, from morning till evening." Some
believed, some did not. The apostles drew
their most convincing evidence that Jesus
was the Messiah from the prophecies of
the Old Testament.
C
9]
Other Evidence of Faith in
Messianic Prophecy
11.
How did Peter show the con-
nection between the spirit of prophecy
in the Old Testament and Christ's suf-
fering and glorification? 1 Peter 1:
10-12.
NoTE.—"The
Spirit of Christ."
"It was
Christ that spoke to His people through
the prophets. The apostle Peter, writing to
the Christian church, says that the proph-
ets 'prophesied of the grace that should
come unto you: searching what, or what
manner of time the
Spirit of Christ
which
was in them did signify, when it testified
beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the
glory that should follow.' 1 Peter 1:10, 11.
It is the voice of Christ that speaks to us
through the Old Testament. 'The testimony
of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.'
"—
Patriarchs and Prophets,
pages 366, 367.
12.
Who did Jude say prophesied
of the coming of the Lord in judg-
ment? Jude 14, 15.
NorE.—Whether Jude quoted from a
noncanonical book, or from a prophecy
orally preserved, is not certain. The point
is that the Holy Spirit led him to quote
these words.
"Enoch became a preacher of righteous-
ness, making known to the people what
God had revealed to him. Those who feared
the Lord sought out this holy man, to share
his instruction and his prayers. He labored
publicly also, bearing God's messages to
all who would hear the words of warning.
His labors were not restricted to the Seth-
ites. In the land where Cain had sought to
flee from the divine Presence, the prophet
of God made known the wonderful scenes
that had passed before his vision. 'Behold,'
he declared, 'the Lord cometh with ten
thousands of His saints, to execute judg-
ment upon all, and to convince all that are
ungodly among them of all their ungodly
deeds.'
"—Patriarchs and Prophets,
page 86.
13.
What spirit motivated and char-
acterized all true prophets of God?
Rev. 19:10.
NoTE.—"The
testimony of Jesus."
All
true prophecy is inspired by the Spirit of
Christ, who bestows this gift that prophets
may speak God's message when "moved by
the Holy Ghost." 2 Peter 1:21. This has
been true through all ages and of the
remnant church of Revelation 12:17. The
messages of God's servants are thus "a more
sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do
well that ye take heed, as unto a light that
shineth in a dark place." 2 Peter 1:19.
Lesson 3, for January 18, 1964
Prophecies of the Messiah in the Book of Genesis
MEMORY VERSE:
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things
were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made."
John 1:1-3.
STUDY HELPS:
"Prophets and Kings," pages 681-685; "Patriarchs and Prophets,"
pages 65, 66; "S.D.A. Bible Commentary."
AIM:
To make clear that even the story of the fall of man is brightened with a
promise of deliverance, and that the Father and the Son are seen as creative
and redemptive in all Their works.
[103
DAILY STUDY ASSIGNMENT AND RECORD
Check Here
Sabbath afternoon: General survey.
Sunday: Questions 1-3.
Monday: Questions 4-6.
Tuesday: Questions 7-9.
Check Here
Wednesday: Questions 10-12.
0
Thursday: Read study helps.
Friday: Review entire lesson.
0
Lesson Outline
Introduction
I. "In the Beginning God"
1.
The Eternal One. Gen.
1:1.
2.
Sovereign of the universe. John
1:1.
3.
Universal Creator. Heb. 1:2.
II. "In the Beginning Was the Word"
4.
The Word in creation. John 1:3;
Col. 1 : 16.
5.
The obedience of One. Rom. 5:19.
6.
The Source of grace and righteous-
ness. Rom. 5:12, 15, 17, 18, 21.
III. The Revelation of Redemption
7.
Conquest through suffering. Gen.
3:15.
8.
Blessing through the seed of faith.
Gen. 22:18; 26:4; 28:14.
9.
Glory and honor through the cross.
Heb. 2:9-14.
IV. The Messiah King
10.
The prophecy regarding Shiloh.
Gen. 49:10.
11.
The Son of the Highest. Luke
1:32-35.
12.
The coming of the King. Gen. 28:
12, 13 ; John 1:51.
THE LESSON
NOTE.
-Genesis
does not attempt to prove
that God exists, but assumes this fact to be
self-evident. See Gen. 1:1; Rom. 1:19, 20.
"The account of creation reveals the
unity, power, and personality of God. It de-
nies atheism-in the beginning
God.
It
denies polytheism-one God, not many.
It denies pantheism-God is before all things
and
apart
from them. It denies materialism
-matter is not God. It denies the eternity
of matter-in the beginning God
created
it.
It denies fatalism-God, here as every-
where, acts in the freedom of His Eternal
Being."-A. M. Hodgkin,
Christ in All the
Scriptures,
pages 9, 10.
2. In the beginning, what was
Christ's relation to the Father? John
1:1.
Introduction
"Prophecies of redemption were man's
hope after the Fall. The dreadful catastro-
phe of the Fall plunged our first parents
into darkness. But the gloom was not un-
relieved by some rays of hope. The story
of the first four chapters of Genesis has
been summarized as 'Creation, Desolation,
Preservation.' "-G. Campbell Morgan,
The
Graded Bible, vol.
1, pp. 2-5.
"The first intimation of redemption was
communicated in the sentence pronounced
upon Satan in the garden. . . . This sen-
tence, uttered in the hearing of our first
parents, was to them a promise. While it
foretold war between man and Satan, it
declared that the power of the great ad-
versary would finally be broken.... Though
they must suffer from the power of their
mighty foe, they could look forward to
final
victory."-Patriarchs and Prophets,
pages 65, 66.
"In the Beginning God"
1. How does the Bible first intro-
duce the idea of God to man? Gen.
1:1.
NoTE.-"The Sovereign of the universe
was not alone in His work of beneficence.
He had an associate-a co-worker who
could appreciate His purposes, and could
share His joy in giving happiness to created
beings. . . . Christ, the Word, the Only
Begotten of God, was one with the eternal
Father—one in nature, in character, in pur-
pose—the only Being that could enter into
all the counsels and purposes of God."—
Patriarchs and Prophets,
page 34.
3.
In what work were the Father
and the Son engaged "in the begin-
ning"? Heb. 1:2. Compare Gen. 1:26.
"In the Beginning Was the Word"
4.
How is the creative activity of
Christ described? John 1:3; Col. 1:16.
NoTE.—All things.
"The hand that sus-
tains the worlds in space, the hand that
holds in their orderly arrangement and tire-
less activity all things throughout the uni-
verse of God, is the hand that was nailed
to the cross for
us."—Education,
page 132.
5.
How are the disobedience of
Adam and the obedience of Christ
contrasted? Rom. 5:19. Compare Gen.
3:6, 7.
NorE.—Man took the forbidden fruit, and
failed. Jesus "took upon Him . . . the like-
ness of men" (Phil. 2:7), and succeeded.
The one was a fall from sinlessness; the
other was a restoration to justification and
righteousness through faith.
6.
What passed upon all men as a
result of Adam's sin? By what may
men escape condemnation? Rom. 5:
12, 15, 17, 18, 21.
NOTE.—"This is the grace of God in its
peculiar NT sense. It is not merely God's
favor toward those who might merit His
approval, it is His unlimited, all-inclusive,
transforming love toward sinful men and
women; and the good news of this grace,
as revealed in Jesus Christ, is 'the power
of God unto salvation' (ch. 1:16). It is not
merely God's mercy and willingness to for-
give, it is an active, energizing, transform-
ing power to save. . . . 'Divine grace is the
great element of saving power' (GW 70).
`Christ gave His life to make it possible for
man to be restored to the image of God. It
is the power of His grace that draws men
together in obedience to the truth' (CT
249)."—S.D
.A. Bible Commentary,
on Rom.
3:24.
The Revelation of Redemption
7.
What intimation of deliverance
came to our first parents immediately
after their fall? Gen. 3:15.
8.
What other prophecies in Gene-
sis imply a future victory through the
faithful seed of the woman? Gen.
22:18; 26:4; 28:14. Compare Gal. 3:
14, 16.
NOTE.—"There was given to Abraham
the promise . . . of a numerous posterity
and of national greatness: 'I will make of
thee a great nation, and I will bless thee,
and make thy name great; and thou shalt
be a blessing.' And to this was added the
assurance, precious above every other to
the inheritor of faith, that of his line the
Redeemer of the world should come: 'In
thee shall all families of the earth be
blessed.'"—Patriarchs and Prophets,
page
125.
In Galatians 3:14 Paul declares plainly
"that the blessing of Abraham might come
on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ." He
is
the
Seed through whom redemption for
all who would accept it was to come.
9.
How does the epistle to the He-
brews connect the sufferings and vic-
tory of Jesus with the defeat of the
devil and the deliverance of the race?
Heb. 2:9-14.
NOTE.—"When the Saviour finally ap-
peared 'in the likeness of men' (Philippians
2:7),
and began His ministry of grace,
Satan could but bruise the heel, while by
[ 12 ]
"The most difficult sermon to
preach and the hardest to
practice is self-denial."--
Counsels on Stewardship,
page 29.
every act of humiliation or suffering Christ
was bruising the head of His adversary. The
anguish that sin has brought was poured
into the bosom of the Sinless; yet while
Christ endured the contradiction of sin-
ners against Himself, He was paying the
debt for sinful man and breaking the bond-
age in which humanity had been held.
Every pang of anguish, every insult, was
working out the deliverance of the race."—
Prophets and Kings,
page 701.
The Messiah King
10.
In his blessing upon Judah, to
whom did Jacob say the people would
gather? Gen. 49:10.
NOTE.—"This same blessed hope ["Your
father Abraham rejoiced to see My day."
John 8:56] was foreshadowed in the bene-
diction pronounced by the dying patriarch
Jacob upon his son Judah: 'Judah, thou art
he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy
hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies;
thy father's children shall bow down be-
fore thee. . . . The scepter shall not de-
part from Judah, nor a lawgiver from be-
tween his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto
Him shall the gathering of the people be.'"
—Prophets and Kings,
page 683.
"Shiloh."
Of the presentation of Jesus in
the temple we read: "In the Child of Beth-
lehem was veiled the glory before which
angels bow. This unconscious babe was the
promised seed, to whom the first altar at
the gate of Eden pointed. This was Shiloh,
the peace giver."—The
Desire of Ages,
page 52.
11.
What permanent kingly power
and divine title were prophesied for
Jesus by the angel to Mary? Luke
1:32-35.
NoTE.—"Son
of the Highest."
The first
occurrence of such a term is in Mark 5:7,
where the demoniac cried: 'What have I to
do with Thee, Jesus, Thou Son of the most
high God?" Melchizedek was called "the
priest of the most high God." Gen. 14:18.
Balaam's parable referred to "the Most
High" (Num. 24:16), as did Moses in Deu-
teronomy 32:8. Mention of "the Most
High" is found in some form in the Psalms,
Isaiah, Daniel, and other books. The angel's
reference to Mary's Child as "the Son of
the Highest," and his statement, "The
power of the Highest shall overshadow
thee," though humanly incomprehensible,
would be unmistakable intimations of di-
vine Presence, especially in connection with
the title "the Son of God."
"These words [Luke 1:32, 33] Mary had
pondered in her heart; yet while she be-
lieved that her child was to be Israel's Mes-
siah, she did not comprehend His mission.
Now she did not understand His words ["I
must be about My Father's business"] ; but
she knew that He had disclaimed kinship
to Joseph, and had declared His Sonship to
God."—The
Desire of Ages,
page 82.
"The throne of His father David."
"The
Jewish nation had been preserved as a wit-
ness that Christ was to be born of the seed
of Abraham and of David's
line."—Ibid.,
p.
44. The literal descent from David is seen
from Psalm 132:11; Acts 2:30; Romans 1:3.
Christ's enemies admitted that Messiah
would be David's Son. Luke 20:41-44.
12.
In what vision did Jacob be-
come acquainted with the plan of
salvation? Gen. 28:12, 13; John 1:51.
Nora.—"In this vision the plan of re-
demption was presented to Jacob, not fully,
but in such parts as were essential to him at
that time. The mystic ladder revealed to
him in his dream was the same to which
Christ referred in His conversation with
Nathanael. Said He, 'Ye shall see heaven
open, and the angels of God ascending and
descending upon the Son of man.' John
1:51. . . . The ladder represents Jesus, the
appointed medium of communication. . . .
Christ connects man in his weakness and
helplessness with the source of infinite
power. All this was revealed to Jacob in
his
dream."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
page
184.
13 3
Lesson 4, for January 25, 1964
Exodus, the Book of Redemption
MEMORY VERSE:
"I have surely seen the affliction of My people which are in Egypt,
and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sor-
rows; and I am come down to deliver them." Ex. 3:7, 8.
STUDY HELPS:
"Patriarchs and Prophets," pages 248-256, 273-280, 356-358; "The
Great Controversy," pages 420-422 (1950 subscription ed., pp. 413-416); "The
Desire of Ages," pages 75-83; "S.D.A. Bible Commentary."
AIM:
To show that in the deliverance of Israel from Egypt, and in the form of
worship established for the chosen people, God was setting forth in type and
symbol the great fact of final redemption through the Messiah.
DAILY STUDY ASSIGNMENT AND RECORD
Check Here
Check
Here
Sabbath afternoon: General survey.
Wednesday: Questions 10-12.
Sunday:
Questions 1-3.
Thursday: Read study helps.
Monday: Questions 4-6.
Friday:
Review entire lesson.
Tuesday: Questions 7-9.
Lesson Outline
Introduction
I. The Great I AM
1.
God's promise of deliverance. Ex.
3:1-8.
2.
God makes known His name. Ex.
3:13-15; John 8:58.
3.
Christ's titles for Himself. John
4:26; 6:35; 8:12; 10:9, 11; 11:25;
14:6; 15:1.
II. The Passover Lamb
4.
Deliverance provided for all. Ex.
12:3, 4, 13.
5.
Redemption available for all the
world. 1 Cor. 5:7, 8; John 1:29.
6. Lessons from type and antitype.
Ex. 12:5; 1 Peter 1:18, 19; Ex.
12:6; 1 Cor. 2:2; Ex. 12:46; John
19:36; Ex. 13:2; Num. 3:13; 1 Cor.
6:19, 20.
III. The Tabernacle
7. Its purpose. Ex. 25:8, 9; Heb. 8:5.
8. Its typical meaning. Heb. 9:24.
9. Its antitypical meaning. Heb. 6:
19, 20.
IV. The Ark and the Mercy Seat
10. Their relation to the work of Christ.
Ex. 25:10-22; Rom. 5:11.
11. The antitypical ark. Rev. 11:19.
12. The glory of God. Ex. 25:22; John
8:12.
THE LESSON
Introduction
The book of Exodus is dominated by the
great figure of Moses, the elect servant of
God and the savior of his people. He was
the human author of the Pentateuch. See
The Great Controversy,
page 434. He "re-
ceived the highest civil and military train-
ing," which, combined with his unusual
natural character and acquired characteris-
tics, fitted him "to take pre-eminence among
the great of the
earth."-Patriarchs and
Prophets,
pages 245, 246. He was so great
a leader in the deliverance of his people that
f
14
I
he became a type of the Christ, who was
to bring redemption within the reach of all.
See
The Desire of Ages,
pages 330, 480;
Deut. 18:15.
The Great I AM
1.
In what way, and with what mes-
sage, did God appear to Moses as he
kept the flock in the desert of Horeb?
Ex. 3:1-8.
NoTE.—"I am come down to deliver them
out of the land of the Egyptians" set the
scene for the epic events connected with
the Exodus, the salvation of God's people
for the preservation of His truth in the
earth. The inspired song which Moses sang
(Ex. 15:1-19) to celebrate their deliverance,
had a prophetic significance. "That song
does not belong to the Jewish people alone.
It points forward to the destruction of all
the foes of righteousness and the final vic-
tory of the Israel of
God."—Patriarchs and
Prophets,
page 289. Compare Rev. 15: 2, 3.
2.
As Moses returned to Egypt to
establish his authority as God's ap-
pointed deliverer, by what name was
the Deity to be known? What use
did Christ make of this name? Ex. 3:
13-15; John 8:58.
NoTE.—"I AM THAT I AM." This is the
name by which God made Himself known
to Abraham. Gen. 15:7. It signifies the
unchangeableness, the eternity, and the self-
existence of God. It lends significance to
Christ's claim: "Before Abraham was, I
am." To claim existence before Abraham
came into being was "understood by the
Jews as a claim to divinity."—S.D.A.
Bible
Commentary,
on John 8:58.
"The name of God, given to Moses to
express the idea of the eternal presence, had
been claimed as His own by this Galilean
Rabbi. He had announced Himself to be
the self-existent One, He who had been
promised to Israel, 'whose goings forth have
been from of old, from the days of eternity.'
Micah 5:2, margin."—The
Desire of Ages,
pages 469, 470.
3.
What significant titles claimed
by Jesus are reminiscent of the "I
AM" of the Old Testament? John 4:
26; 6:35; 8:12; 10:9, 11; 11:25; 14:6;
15:1.
NoTE.—"I . . . am He [Messiah]" (John
4:26) ; "the Bread of life" (John 6:35) ;
"the Light of the world" (John 8:12) ; "the
Door" (John 10:9) ; "the Good Shepherd"
(John 10:11) ; "the resurrection, and the
life" (John 11:25); "the way, the truth, and
the life" (John 14:6) ; "the True Vine"
(John 15:1). While Jesus is not here specif-
ically claiming the titls "I AM," He is
nevertheless setting forth His timelessness,
His divinity, His whole redeeming work for
man. "It was He who declared Himself to
Moses as the I
AM."—The Desire of Ages,
page 52.
The Passover Lamb
4.
What provision was made for
the Israelites to escape the visitation
of the tenth plague upon Egypt? Ex.
12:3, 4, 13.
NoTE.—The institution of this festival in
the "first month of the year" really meant
the beginning of a new life for this en-
slaved people who were to become the
chosen nation. It marked God's terrible
judgment on wicked Egypt, and His won-
derful deliverance of the Israelites. Before
the destroyer went forth, Egypt had been
repeatedly warned, and directions for pres-
ervation and flight were given to the chil-
dren of Israel. See
Patriarchs and Prophets,
page 274. The safety of "all the congrega-
tion of Israel" was provided for.
5.
How does the New Testament
refer to the Passover lamb as a type
of the Lord Jesus Christ, through
whom redemption is provided for all
men? 1 Cor. 5:7, 8; John 1:29.
6.
Mention as many striking com-
parisons as you can between the typi-
cal Passover lamb and the Lord Jesus
Christ as the Lamb of God.
[15
]
Answer.—a.
Ex. 12:5. The lamb was to
be
without blemish.
1 Peter 1:18, 19. "Ye
were not redeemed with corruptible things;
. . . but with the precious blood of Christ,
as of a lamb
without blemish
and
without
spot."
b.
Ex. 12:6. A
slain
lamb availed to save
the Israelites from God's judgment on
Egypt. 1 Cor. 2:2. "I determined not to
know anything among you, save Jesus
Christ, and Him
crucified."
c.
Ex. 12:46. "Neither shall ye
break a
bone thereof."
John 19:36. "That the scrip-
ture might be fulfilled, A bone of Him shall
not be broken."
d.
Ex. 13:2 ; Num. 3:13. All the firstborn
redeemed by the blood of the lamb were to
be sanctified because "it is mine." There
was special significance in the sanctification
of the firstborn (see note below). 1 Cor.
6:19, 20. "Ye are not your own. For ye
are bought with a price: therefore glorify
God in your body, and in your spirit, which
are God's."
"The law for the presentation of the first-
born was made particularly significant.
While it was a memorial of the Lord's won-
derful deliverance of the children of Israel,
it prefigured a greater deliverance, to be
wrought out by the only-begotten Son of
God. As the blood sprinkled on the door-
posts had saved the first-born of Israel, so
the blood of Christ has power to save the
world."—The
Desire of Ages,
page 51.
The Tabernacle
7. For what purpose was the
earthly tabernacle built, and on what
plan was it constructed? Ex. 25:8, 9;
Heb. 8:5.
NOTE.—"That I may dwell.
In a spiritual
sense, God has ever sought an abode with
men and cannot 'rest' until this has been
accorded Him (Ps. 132: 13-16), first in the
hearts of His people individually (1 Cor.
3:16, 17; 6:19) and then in the midst of
any company who meet to worship Him
(Matt. 18:20). The system centering in the
earthly tabernacle pointed forward to
Christ, who later 'dwelt,' literally `taber-
nacled,' among men (John
1:14)."—S.D.A.
Bible Commentary,
on Ex. 25:8.
16
"The object of Sabbath
school work should be the
ingathering of souls."—
Counsels on Sabbath School
Work,
page 61.
8.
What was typified by the earthly
sanctuary and its sacrificial services?
Heb. 9:24.
Nors.—"Important truths concerning the
atonement are taught by the typical ser-
vice. . . . It was the work of the priest in
the daily ministration to present before God
the blood of the sin offering, also the in-
cense which ascended with the prayers of
Israel. So did Christ plead His blood before
the Father in behalf of sinners, and present
before Him also, with the precious fragrance
of His own righteousness, the prayers of
penitent believers."—The
Great Contro-
versy,
pages 420, 421.
9.
What is said to be "an anchor of
the soul"? In whom and where does
it center? Heb. 6:19, 20.
NoTE.—"The hope set before us" is sal-
vation through faith in Christ. This hope
penetrates "within the veil" because Jesus
has entered the sanctuary as a "High Priest
forever after the order of Melchizedek."
What man could never do to restore fel-
lowship with God, Christ did when He rent
the veil between man and God with His life.
Only here is the Christian hope called an
anchor—something which holds safely and
surely. The certainty is expressed in these
words: "By His own blood He entered in
once into the holy place, having obtained
eternal redemption for us." Heb. 9:12.
The Ark and the Mercy Seat
10.
How were the ark of the coven-
ant and the mercy seat related to each
other? Ex. 25:10-22; Rom. 5:11.
NorE.—The ark was a wooden chest over-
laid with gold, within which the two tables
of the law reposed. Ex. 25:17; Deut 10:2.
The mercy seat was the lid or cover of the
ark. It represented reconciliation. On the
Day of Atonement the high priest sprinkled
the blood on the mercy seat and before
the mercy seat. "Thus the claims of the
law, which demanded the life of the sin-
ner, were
satisfied."—Patriarchs and Proph-
ets,
page 356.
In Romans 5:11 the word rendered "rec-
onciliation" (R.S.V.) signifies the fact that
we are reconciled to God (Rom. 5:10)
through the life, death, and mediation of
our Lord Jesus Christ.
11. By what name is the antitypical
ark called, and where was it seen?
Rev. 11:19.
NoTE.—" 'The ark of His testament' the
focal point of the vision. . . . It is in con-
nection with the beginning of the seventh
trumpet that John sees the temple in
heaven and very particularly 'the ark of
His testament.' This indicates that the sec-
ond and last division of Christ's heavenly
ministry, answering to the typical Day of
Atonement, has opened. Other scriptures
reveal that this final phase of Christ's work
began in 1844."—S.D.A.
Bible Commentary,
on Rev. 11:19.
12. At what place in the tabernacle
was God's presence manifested
in
physical glory? Ex. 25:22; John 8:12.
Compare Ps. 80:1.
NoTE.—"When the tabernacle was set up,
Christ manifested His presence in the holy
Shekinah, above the mercy seat and be-
tween the cherubim (Num. 7:89)."—S.D
.A.
Bible Commentary,
on Isa. 63:9.
"In all these revelations of the divine
presence the glory of God was manifested
through Christ. Not alone at the Saviour's
advent, but through all the ages after the
Fall and the promise of redemption, 'God
was in Christ, reconciling the world unto
Himself.'
"—Patriarchs and Prophets,
page
366.
Lesson 5, for February 1, 1964
Access to God Through the Atonement, in Leviticus
MEMORY VERSE:
"For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands,
which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the
presence of God for us." Heb. 9:24.
STUDY HELPS:
"Patriarchs and Prophets," pages 352-358; "The Great Controversy,"
pages 417-428 (1950 subscription ed., pp. 411-423);
"S.D.A.
Bible Commen-
tary."
AIM:
To show the redemptive meaning of the Levitical system and its relation to
the sanctification of believers in Christ Jesus.
DAILY STUDY ASSIGNMENT AND RECORD
Check Here
Sabbath afternoon: General survey.
Check Here
Wednesday: Questions 11,
12; read
Sunday:
Questions 1-4.
further from study helps.
Monday: Questions 5-8.
Thursday: Finish reading study
Tuesday: Questions 9, 10; begin
helps.
reading study helps.
Friday:
Review entire lesson.
[ 17 3
Lesson Outline
Introduction
.
I. Atonement Through Shedding of
Blood
1.
A life for a life. Lev. 17:11, 14.
2.
Atonement by substitution. Lev.
1:3, 4; 3:2, 8.
3.
A redemption for all who believe.
1 Peter 1:18, 19.
4.
A new status. 1 John 1:7; Rom.
5:9; Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:20; Heb.
13:12.
II. The Day of Atonement
5. A yearly service. Lev. 16:29-34;
Ex. 30:10.
6.
A dual ceremony. Lev. 16:9, 10,
15, 30; Heb. 9:6-12.
7.
A universal cleansing. Lev. 16:16;
Heb. 9:22, 23.
8.
A heavenly ministry and a sinless
return. Heb. 9:23, 24, 28.
III. The Way of Holiness
9.
The holiness of God. Lev. 11:44,
45; 20:7.
10.
The sanctifying Presence. Lev.
21:8; Ex. 3:2, 5; 19:5, 6.
11.
The sanctified believer. 1 Cor.
1:2, 30.
12.
The holy incarnation. Luke 1:35.
THE LESSON
Introduction
Leviticus is the book of priestly laws, or
the handbook of the priests. It delineates
forms of worship which were to lead the
people back to communion with God.
Throughout the middle book of the Pen-
tateuch the central truth is substitution, the
blood of a sacrificial animal taking the
place of the one on whose behalf it was to
be offered. "In all of these regulations and
precepts men saw the reconciliatory work
of Him who took our sins upon Himself,
who died for us, and by whose stripes we
are healed. Leviticus is a pre-gospel, and
should find a large place in the study of all
who wish to follow the Lamb all the way."
—S.D.A. Bible Commentary, vol.
1, p. 694.
As we look at Leviticus in the light of the
New Testament, we find it is a book for
people who realize their need of forgive-
ness of sin and of approaching the presence
of a holy God through the prescribed way
of atonement. Sacrifice reveals both man's
need and God's estimation of sin. Since
"all have sinned," the lessons of Leviticus
must have special meaning for Christians
as well as for Jews. Its types and cere-
monies have real meaning in the light of
the cross of Calvary.
Atonement Through Shedding of
Blood
1. What basic lesson was taught
by the animal sacrifices of the earthly
sanctuary services? Lev. 17:11, 14.
NotE.—"For it is the blood that makes
atonement, by reason of the life." Lev.
17:11, R.S.V. Sin brings death: "The wages
of sin is death." Rom. 6:23. Forgiveness of
sin and atonement with God require the
shedding and ministration of blood: "With-
out the shedding of blood there is no for-
giveness of sins." Heb. 9:22, R.S.V.
"Blood is the element of physical life;
and God consecrated that element as the
medium through which atonement must be
made."—G. Campbell Morgan,
The Graded
Bible, vol.
1, p. 93.
2. With what was atonement made
under the Levitical system? What
major truth concerning the Redeemer
is thereby revealed? Lev. 1:3, 4; 3:2,
8. Compare 1 John 1:7.
Nom—The fact that the offerer brought
the animal "of his own voluntary will" and
placed his hand on its head shows that he
knew he was offering a life in place of his
own. This is the vital principle of substi-
tution, by means of which an unworthy
individual exercises faith in the Lord Jesus
Christ, who is described as "worthy . . .
and hast redeemed us to God by Thy
blood." Rev. 5:9.
"Upon Christ as our substitute and surety
was laid the iniquity of us all. He was
counted a transgressor, that He might re-
deem us from the condemnation of the
law."—The Desire of Ages,
page 753.
[ 18
I
3.
In what clear statement does
Peter show that the blood of Jesus
procured man's redemption? 1 Peter
1:18, 19. Compare Rev. 5:9.
NOTE.
-"All
men have been bought with
this infinite price. By pouring the whole
treasury of heaven into this world, by giv-
ing us in Christ all heaven, God has pur-
chased the will, the affections, the mind, the
soul, of every human being. Whether be-
lievers or unbelievers, all men are the Lord's
property."—Christ's
Object Lessons,
page
326.
The Levitical code was rich in symbolical
meaning to the people whose religious life
it sustained for long centuries. We, too,
can learn much from it.
4.
What essential spiritual experi-
ences come to the believer through the
blood of Christ? 1 John 1:7; Rom.
5:9; Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:20; Heb. 13:12.
NoTE.—Here are some of the greatest
words in the Bible: cleansing, justification,
redemption, forgiveness, peace, sanctifica-
tion.
Justification
"is the work of God in lay-
ing the glory of man in the dust, and doing
for man that which it is not in his power
to do for
himself."—Testimonies to Min-
isters,
page 456.
Redemption
includes saving and keeping
from sin in this life, and entrance into the
immortal life. It is through redemption
"that every other [gift] is imparted to
men."—Christ's Object Lessons,
page 301.
"While we should realize our sinful con-
dition, we are to rely upon Christ as our
righteousness, our sanctification, and our
redemption."—Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 472.
Peace
is the result of grace "that recon-
ciles the soul to God, quiets the strife of
human passion, and in His love the heart
is at rest."—The
Desire of Ages,
page 336.
The Day of Atonement
5.
What special service was held in
the autumn of each year? Mention
some of the unusual incidents in the
observance of this day. Lev. 16:29-34;
Ex. 30:10.
NOTE.—This was a day of judgment, and
only the truly consecrated could be cleansed
from sin. Priests, people, sanctuary, all re-
quired cleansing before a holy God. Sym-
bols, types, shadows, are poor representa-
tions of the work of Christ, for they could
not "make the corners thereunto perfect."
Heb. 10:1. Thus many types and ceremo-
nies were used to teach the sinner's need of
Christ.
6.
In what way was the first goat a
type of the Lord Jesus Christ? What
was the role of the scapegoat? Lev.
16:9, 10, 15, 30; Heb. 9:6-12.
NOTE.—The blood of the goat slain as a
sin offering must be taken "within the veil"
and sprinkled "upon the mercy seat, and
before the mercy seat," a procedure for-
bidden at all other times. Lev. 16:15; see
also verse 2. "Thus the claims of the law,
which demanded the life of the sinner, were
satisfied."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
page
356.
"Since Satan is the originator of sin, the
direct instigator of all the sins that caused
the death of the Son of God, justice de-
mands that Satan shall suffer the final
punishment. Christ's work for the redemp-
tion of men and the purification of the uni-
verse from sin will be closed by the re-
moval of sin from the heavenly sanctuary
and the placing of these sins upon Satan,
who will bear the final penalty. So in
the typical service, the yearly round of
ministration closed with the purification of
the sanctuary, and the confessing of the sins
on the head of the scapegoat."—/bid., p.
358.
"As in the final atonement the sins of the
truly penitent are to be blotted from the
records of heaven, no more to be remem-
bered or come into mind, so in the type
they were borne away into the wilderness,
forever separated from the congregation."—
Ibid.,
p. 358.
7.
In what words do the Old and
New Testaments show the need for
cleansing in both the typical and anti-
typical sanctuaries? Lev. 16:16; Heb.
9:22, 23.
[
19
NorE.—"In Hebrews 9 the cleansing of
both the earthly and the heavenly sanc-
tuary is plainly taught. 'Almost all thing
are by the law purged with blood; and
without shedding of blood is no remission.
It was therefore necessary that the pat-
terns of things in the heavens should be
purified with these [the blood of animals] ;
but the heavenly things themselves with
better sacrifices than these' (Hebrews 9:22,
23), even the precious blood of Christ.
"The cleansing, both in the typical and
in the real service, must be accomplished
with blood: in the former, with the blood
of animals; in the latter, with the blood of
Christ."—The
Great Controversy,
pages
417, 418.
8.
By whom is the cleansing of the
"heavenly things themselves" accom-
plished, and what supreme event will
transpire at its conclusion? Heb. 9:23,
24, 28.
The Way of Holiness
9.
What do the types and shadows
of the Levitical system reveal about
God's character and what He expects
of His people? Lev. 11:44, 45; 20:7.
Compare 1 Peter 1:15, 16.
NorE.—Three times in Leviticus we find
the declaration, "Ye shall be holy: for I the
Lord your God am holy." Other similar
expressions may also be found. In Leviti-
cus there is frequent use of such words as
holy, holiness, sanctify—all bearing on the
worship of a holy God whose desire is
that His people shall be like Him. Un-
fortunately, Israel mistook observance of
ritual (the letter of the law) for sanctifica-
tion of heart (the spirit).
10.
What was it, in Old Testament
times, that made people, places, and
things holy? Lev. 21:8; Ex. 3:2, 5;
19:5, 6.
NoTE.—God claimed all the firstborn of
Israel as His. They were "holy" in the
sense that they were set apart to be His
peculiar servants. Ex. 13:2. God similarly
separated and claimed all the people. Lev.
11:45; 20:26.
The Sabbath was holy. Ex. 20:8-11. The
tabernacle was called a sanctuary, or holy
place. Ex. 25:8. The outer apartment was
the holy place, the inner one the most holy
place. Ex. 26:33. The altar was similarly
called most holy, as were also the sacred
vessels. Ex. 29:37; 30:29. Even things
which touched the altar and the offerings
became holy. Lev. 6:18. It was God's
claim, His presence, and dedication to His
service that made persons, places, and
things holy.
11.
What evidence is there that the
basic ideal of holiness was carried
over into the New Testament? 1 Cor.
1:2, 30.
NorE.—"Sanctified in Christ Jesus, called
to be saints"—God's sanctified or holy
ones. The Greek word here rendered saints
(hagioi),
is an all-important link between
the Old and the New Testament. Thus
Paul addresses believers as people "called
to be saints." Rom. 1:7. They are "sancti-
fied in Christ."
In Hebrews 3:1 we have the expression
"holy brethren," who are said to be "par-
takers of the heavenly calling." Heb. 3:1.
Theirs is "an holy calling." 2 Tim. 1:9. The
whole church is "a spiritual house, an holy
priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices,
acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." 1 Peter
2:5.
12.
How did the angel explain the
birth of Jesus? Luke 1:35.
NorE.—"The Holy Spirit will come upon
you, and the power of the Most High will
overshadow you; therefore the Child to be
born will be called holy, the Son of God:"
R.S.V.
In Acts 3:14 the apostles declared: "But
ye denied the Holy One and the Just."
Twice Jesus is referred to as "Thy holy
Child ["servant," R.S.V.] Jesus." Acts 4:
27, 30.
Christ Jesus has been "made unto us
wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctifica-
[20]
tion, and redemption." 1 Cor. 1:30. The
faithful believer, in turn, is made a par-
taker of the imputed righteousness of Christ.
When the believer "keepeth his word" and
has "the love of God perfected" in him, he
enters into an ever deepening experience of
imparted righteousness, living the sanctified
lffe. He bears "fruit unto holiness, and the
mid everlasting life." Rom. 6:22.
2
VTo that unseen Holy One he [the be-
liever] will show respect and reverence be-
cause he is wearing His yoke and is learn-
ing His pure, holy
ways."-Testimonies,
vol. 6, p. 322.
Lesson 6, for February 8, 1964
Glimpses of the Messiah in the Book of Numbers
MEMORY VERSE:
"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so
must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in Him should not
perish, but have eternal life." John 3:14, 15.
STUDY HELPS:
"The Desire of Ages," pages 463-475; "Testimonies," vol. 4, pp. 120-
123; "Patriarchs and Prophets," pages 428-432, 515-517.
AIM:
To see divine guidance and forbearance in the wilderness wanderings, and
the merciful provision of justice and forgiveness of sin through ceremonies
pointing forward to the coming Redeemer.
DAILY STUDY ASSIGNMENT AND RECORD
Check Here
Check
Here
Sabbath afternoon: General survey.
Wednesday:
Questions 11, 12.
0
Sunday:
Questions 1-4.
Thursday:
Read study helps.
0
Monday: Questions 5-7.
Friday:
Review entire lesson.
0
Tuesday: Questions 8-10.
Lesson Outline
Introduction
I. The Fiery, Cloudy Pillar
1.
Evidences of God's presence. Num.
9:15, 16.
2.
Purpose of God in this miracle.
Ex. 13:21; Ps. 105:39.
3.
Proofs of Christ's presence with the
encampment. 1 Cor. 10:1-4.
4.
Assurances of Christ's presence with
the church forever. John 8:12;
Matt. 28:20.
II. The Red Heifer
5. The unique purification offering.
Num. 19:2, 9, 17.
6. Characteristics typical of Christ.
Num. 19:2, 3.
7. The ample sacrifice for reconcilia-
tion. Num. 19:5-10.
III. The Brazen Serpent
8. A disastrous state of mind. Num.
21:4, 5.
9. A consequent calamity. Num. 21:6.
10. A lesson in obedience. Num. 21:
7-9; John 3:14, 15.
IV. The Cities of Refuge
11. Justice safeguarded. Num.
35:11-13.
12. Vengeance averted. Deut. 19:5, 6.
[21]
THE LESSON
vince Israel of God's presence and leader-
ship.
"In this cloud the Lord Himself was
present with His people, and from the
cloud He spoke to Moses. There the glory
of the Lord, later known as the `Shekinah,'
appeared (Ex. 16:10; 40:34). In a similar
way the Lord had already revealed Himself
to Moses at the burning bush (ch. 3:2),
and later appeared upon Sinai amidst
thunder and lightning (ch. 19:16, 18). The
fire and the cloud symbolized divine leader-
ship and protection."—S.D.A.
Bible Com-
mentary,
on Ex. 13:21.
3. Who accompanied and led the
Israelites on their wilderness wander-
ings? 1 Cor. 10:1-4. Compare Ps.
106:9, 10.
Introduction
The book of Numbers records the desert
pilgrimage and warfare, the failure of Israel
to possess the Promised Land, the record
of certain additions to the ceremonial law,
and of plans for ultimate entrance into
Canaan. All this is recorded by the great
leader Moses.
We study here the immortal story of di-
vine guidance through the pillar of cloud
and fire, the ordinance for establishing the
six cities of refuge—some think that all
forty-four Levitical cities were, in at least
some sense, places of refuge—the unique
sin offering of the red heifer, and the results
of rebellion near Edom.
New Testament writers point out a num-
ber of lessons from the wilderness experi-
ences. One of these is the story of the
brazen serpent: "It shall come to pass, that
everyone that is bitten, when he looketh
upon it, shall live." Num. 21:8. Our Lord's
memorable comment on this was: "As
Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilder-
ness, even so must the Son of man be lifted
up." John 3:14. In fact, the lesson in all
these experiences with Messianic overtones
is this: There is life in a look at the Cruci-
fied One.
The Fiery, Cloudy Pillar
1.
On what occasion did the cloud
cover the tabernacle, how often was
it there, and what variations were
there in its appearance? Num. 9:
15, 16.
NoTE.—The fiery, cloudy pillar is men-
tioned many times in Exodus, Numbers,
and Deuteronomy, under such names as
"pillar of cloud," "pillar of fire," "pillar of
the cloud," "pillar of fire and of the cloud,"
"the cloud of the Lord." It is also mentioned
in later books, including the New Testa-
ment, as a historical reality.
2.
For what purposes did God pro-
vide the phenomenon of the cloud?
Ex. 13:21; Ps. 105:39.
NoTE.—The cloud was for guidance, for
shade and a covering, for light, and to con-
NOTE.—"In all these revelations of the
divine presence [Sinai, the Shekinah], the
glory of God was manifested through
Christ. .
"Christ was not only the leader of the
Hebrews in the wilderness—the Angel in
whom was the name of Jehovah, and who,
veiled in the cloudy pillar, went before the
host—but it was He who gave the law to
Israel. Amid the awful glory of Sinai,
Christ declared in the hearing of all the
people the ten precepts of His Father's law.
It was He who gave to Moses the law en-
graved upon the tables of
stone."—Patri-
archs and Prophets,
page 366.
"Jesus stood at the head of that vast
army. The cloudy column by day and the
pillar of fire by night represented their
divine
Leader."—Testimonies,
vol. 4, p. 22.
4. In what words did Jesus assure
the believer that He still guides His
people in the way of salvation? John
8:12; Matt. 28:20.
NOTE.—"The
Light of the world."
This
metaphor has a strong Scriptural back-
ground subsequent to the desert pilgrimage.
For example: "The Lord is my light and my
salvation" (Ps. 27:1) ; "I the Lord have
called thee in righteousness, and will . . .
give thee for a covenant of the people, for
a light of the Gentiles" (Isa. 42:6); "Arise,
[223
shine; for thy light is come, and the glory
of the Lord is risen upon thee" (Isa. 60:1;
see also verse 19) ; and "Unto you that fear
My name shall the Sun of Righteousness
arise with healing in His wings" (Mal. 4:2).
Believers in Jesus are exhorted: "While
you have the light, believe in the light, that
you may become sons of light." John 12:36,
R.S.V.
The Red Heifer
5.
What special offering was made
to free the people of Israel from cer-
tain types of ceremonial defilement?
Num. 19:2, 9, 17.
NoTa.—"The children of Israel were an-
ciently commanded to make an offering for
the entire congregation to purify them from
ceremonial defilement. This sacrifice was
a red heifer and represented the more per-
fect offering that should redeem from the
pollution of sin. This was an occasional
sacrifice for the purification of all those
who had necessarily or accidentally touched
the dead. All who came in contact with
death in any way were considered cere-
monially unclean. This was to forcibly im-
press the minds of the Hebrews with the
fact that death came in consequence of sin
and therefore is a representative of sin. The
one
heifer, the
one
ark, the
one
brazen ser-
pent, impressively point to the
one
great
offering, the sacrifice of
Christ."—Testimo-
nies,
vol. 4, p. 120.
6.
Mention some distinctive fea-
tures attending the ceremony of the
red heifer. Num. 19:2, 3.
NorE.—"This heifer was to be red, which
was a symbol of blood. It must be without
spot or blemish, and one that had never
borne a yoke. Here, again, Christ was
typified. The Son of God came voluntarily
to accomplish the work of atonement. There
was no obligatory yoke upon Him, for He
was independent and above all law. . . .
"The sacrificial heifer was conducted
without the camp and slain in the most
imposing manner. Thus Christ suffered
without the gates of Jerusalem, for Calvary
was outside the city walls. This was to
show that Christ did not die for the He-
brews alone, but for all mankind. He pro-
claims to a fallen world that He has come
to be their Redeemer and urges them to
accept the salvation He offers them."—
Testimonies,
vol. 4, pp. 120, 121.
7.
Describe the ceremony of offer-
ing the red heifer. Num. 19:5-10.
NoTE.—"The body of the heifer was
burned to ashes, which signified a whole
and ample sacrifice. The ashes were then
gathered up by a person uncontaminated
by contact with the dead and placed in a
vessel containing water from a running
stream. This clean and pure person then
took a cedar stick with scarlet cloth and
a bunch of hyssop, and sprinkled the con-
tents of the vessel upon the tent and the
people assembled. This ceremony was re-
peated several times in order to be thorough
and was done as a purification from sin.
"Thus Christ, in His own spotless righ-
teousness, after shedding His precious blood,
enters into the holy place to cleanse the
sanctuary. And there the crimson current
is brought into the service of reconciling
God to man. Some may look upon this
slaying of the heifer as a meaningless cere-
mony, but it was done by the command
of God and bears a deep significance that
has not lost its application to the present
time."—Testimonies,
vol. 4, pages 121, 122.
The Brazen Serpent
8.
In what state of mind were the
Israelites as they went around the
land of Edom? With what reproach
did they turn against God and Moses?
Num. 21:4, 5.
9.
What calamity came upon the
people? Num. 21:6.
10.
How did God teach Israel that
faith in His word brings salvation?
How did our Lord apply this experi-
ence? Num. 21:7-9; John 3:14, 15.
[ 23
NOTE.—" 'As Moses lifted up the serpent
in the wilderness,' even so was the Son
of man 'lifted up: that whosoever believeth
in Him should not perish, but have eternal
life.' John 3:14, 15. All who have ever
lived upon the earth have felt the deadly
sting of 'that old serpent, called the devil,
and Satan.' Revelation 12:9. The fatal ef-
fects of sin can be removed only by the
provision that God has made. The Israel-
ites saved their lives by looking upon the
uplifted serpent. That look implied faith.
They lived because they believed God's
word, and trusted in the means provided for
their recovery. So the sinner may look to
Christ, and live. He receives pardon
through faith in the atoning sacrifice. Un-
like the inert and lifeless symbol, Christ has
power and virtue in Himself to heal the
repenting
sinner."—Patriarchs and Proph-
ets,
page 431.
The Cities of Refuge
11. What provision against rash
action did God make for the Israelites
in their permanent home in Pales-
tine? Num. 35:11-13. Compare Deut.
19:2-7; Josh. 20:1-6.
12. Why was haste necessary when
a person accidentally killed another?
What provision of God saved the
pursued from approaching wrath?
Deut. 19:5, 6.
NoTE.—"He who fled to the city of refuge
could make no delay. Family and employ-
ment were left behind. There was no time
to say farewell to loved ones. His life was
at stake, and every other interest must be
sacrificed to the one purpose—to reach the
place of safety. Weariness was forgotten,
difficulties were unheeded. The fugitive
dared not for one moment slacken his pace
until he was within the walls of the city."
—Patriarchs and Prophets,
page 517.
"The cities of refuge appointed for God's
ancient people were a symbol of the refuge
provided in Christ. The same merciful
Saviour who appointed those temporal cit-
ies of refuge has by the shedding of His
own blood provided for the transgressors of
God's law a sure retreat, into which they
may flee for safety from the second death.
No power can take out of His hands the
souls that go to Him for pardon."—Ibid.,
p. 516.
Lesson 7, for February 15, 1964
The Promised Deliverer in Deuteronomy
MEMORY VERSE:
"The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the
midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto Him ye shall hearken." Deut.
18:15.
STUDY HELPS:
"Patriarchs and Prophets," pages 287-290, 479, 480; "Prophets and
Kings," page 684; "S.D.A. Bible Commentary."
AIM: To
observe the redemptive setting of (1) the Exodus and the establishment
of Israel in the Land of Promise; (2) the great-Prophet prediction of Moses;
(3) the covenantal responsibilities of the church, based on God's law; (4) sur-
render and obedience as a spiritual experience.
DAILY STUDY ASSIGNMENT AND RECORD
Check Here
Sabbath afternoon: General survey.
Sunday: Questions 1-4.
0
Monday: Questions 5-8.
Tuesday: Questions
9-11.
0
Check Here
Wednesday: Questions 12, 13.
Thursday: Read study helps.
Friday:
Review entire lesson.
[24
1
Lesson Outline
Introduction
I. Delivered From Egypt and Guided
to Canaan
1.
The divine purpose. Ex. 3:7, 8, 10.
2.
The hope of deliverance. Gen. 3:15;
12:1-3; 17:1-8; 49:8-10.
3.
The twofold promise. Deut. 1:8, 21.
4.
The final victory. Rev. 15:2, 3.
II. The Prophet Like Moses
5.
The Mosaic prediction. Deut 18:15.
6.
The coming Prophet. John 6:14.
7.
The basis of obedience. Deut. 4:2;
John 12:48-50.
8.
The injunction of Moses. Deut.
18:15.
The Decalogue and the Covenants
9.
Two essential attitudes. Deut. 5:1;
Matt. 19 : 17, last part.
10.
Present obligations. Deut. 5:2, 3.
11.
Basis of the covenant in Horeb.
Deut. 5:4-21.
12.
Blessings of obedience. Deut. 5:29;
John 15:10.
IV. Surrender and Obedience
13.
The relation between love and
obedience. Deut. 6:4-6.
THE LESSON
Introduction
The book of Deuteronomy, which is said
to be quoted some ninety times in the New
Testament, is largely made up of four ex-
tended discourses of Moses, delivered on
the plains of Moab. Deut. 34:1. Then the
great leader, resigned to God's will that he
should relinquish his work and go to his
rest, gave to his beloved people his fare-
well counsels. Deut. 31:1 to 34:12.
The relevance of Moses to our present
lesson is, first, that Moses was a type of
Christ; and, second, that "he himself had
declared to Israel, 'The Lord thy God will
raise up unto thee a Prophet from the
midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto
me; unto Him ye shall hearken.'
"-Patri-
archs and Prophets,
page 480. Thus a man
who was himself a type of the Redeemer,
recorded one of the most striking of the
Old Testament prophecies concerning our
Lord.
Delivered From Egypt and
Guided to Canaan
1. With what purpose in view did
God send Moses to Pharaoh? Ex.
3:7,
8,
10.
NOTE.-"I am come down to deliver them
out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to
bring them up out of that land unto a good
land." The Hebrew people were to be re-
leased in order that they might serve God:
"Let My son go, that he may serve Me;"
"Let My people go, that they may serve
Me." Ex. 4:23; 9:1. Bondage in Egypt
meant service to evil men. Ex. 1:13, 14.
2.
What promises took on new
meaning when Moses delivered Israel
from Egypt? Gen. 3:15; 12:1-3; 17:
1-8; 49:8-10.
NOTE.
-Adam understood enough of the
plan of redemption to perceive that the Re-
deemer would come through the seed of the
woman. The promises to Adam and the
patriarchs were passed on orally, and even
Egyptian bondage could not wholly obliter-
ate the hope of deliverance.
3.
In addition to deliverance from
Egypt, what was involved in God's
promises to the patriarchs? Deut. 1:8,
21. Compare Acts 7:3-7.
NOTE.
-In God's plan, "out of Egypt"
meant into Canaan. Ex. 3:10, 17. Note the
same phrasing in Stephen's words regarding
Abraham, in Acts
7:3:
"Get thee out of
thy country, . . . into the land which I
[
261
shall show thee." God never calls His peo-
ple out of their evil environment without
leading them into something better.
The Exodus is described in these words
in Acts 7:36: "He brought them out." The
sequel to the bringing out is found in
Joshua 4 and 5, where God brought them
over Jordan into Canaan.
To deliver from Egypt, bondage, and
idolatry was one part of God's plan. The
other was to lead Israel into the Promised
Land, where they could worship God freely.
"He brought forth His people with joy,
and His chosen with gladness: . . . that
they might observe His statutes, and keep
His laws." Ps. 105:43-45.
The leading out by Moses, under God,
and the bringing into Canaan by Joshua,
are typical of Christ's call to come out of
the world to inherit the promise of "a bet-
ter country." Heb. 11:16.
4.
What song will the redeemed
sing on the sea of glass? Rev. 15:2, 3.
NOTE.—"That song [of Moses] does not
belong to the Jewish people alone. It
points forward to the destruction of all
the foes of righteousness and the final vic-
tory of the Israel of
God."—Patriarchs and
Prophets,
page 289.
"Them that had gotten the victory over
the beast" refers to those who heard God's
call and came out to gain victory over the
tyranny of "Babylon the great." Rev. 17:5.
Victory over Egypt and over Babylon is the
victory over sin and wickedness. To achieve
that victory Christ gave His life.
The Prophet Like Moses
5.
What great prophecy of the com-
ing Messiah did Moses give? Deut.
18:15.
NOTE.—"Now a Prophet like unto Moses,
must necessarily, like him, be a redeemer
of the people, a founder and executor of a
New Covenant with God, and since a New
Covenant is, by implication, a better cove-
nant than that which preceded it, it follows
that the Prophet, 'like unto Moses,' is really
greater than he was. Hence this prophecy
applied in its fullness to no prophet of the
Old Testament. It is in Christ alone, the
executor of the New Covenant, the Re-
deemer of all men, that this promise is
perfectly and finally fulfilled (Kurtz,
Man
of Sacred History,
page 145)."—Aaron J.
Kligerman,
Messianic Prophecy in the Old
Testament,
page 22.
6.
What New Testament allusion
is there to Moses' prediction regarding
the great Prophet? John 6:14. Com-
pare John 1:21.
NOTE.—The woman at the well of Sychar
(John 4:7-29) "was in an appreciative state
of mind. She was ready to receive the
noblest revelation; for she was interested
in the Scriptures, and the Holy Spirit had
been preparing her mind to receive more
light. She had studied the Old Testament
promise, 'The Lord thy God will raise up
unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee,
of thy brethren, like unto me; unto Him ye
shall hearken.' Deut. 18:15. She longed to
understand this prophecy. Light was al-
ready flashing into her mind. The water
of life, the spiritual life which Christ gives
to every thirsty soul, had begun to spring
up in her heart. The Spirit of the Lord was
working with her."—The
Desire of Ages,
page 190.
That devout Jews were awaiting the
coming Deliverer is evident in such expres-
sions as: "Art Thou He that should come,
or do we look for another?" Matt. 11:3.
See also the use of Deuteronomy 18:15, in
Acts 3:22.
7.
How precisely were the people
to obey Moses' commands? What sim-
ilar statement did Jesus make? Deut.
4:2; John 12:48-50.
NoTE.—Moses spoke God's word, as also
did Jesus. Our Lord assured us that His
meat was to do God's will. John 4:34. He
said that He did what God commanded
Him to do. John 14:31. He urged obedi-
ence to God's commandments. Matt. 19:17.
He was concerned with the finishing of
God's work. John 17:4.
(26
]
8.
What specific injunction did
Moses give regarding what Israel's at-
titude to the great Prophet should be?
Deut. 18:15, last part.
NOTE.—"Him you shall heed." R.S.V. To
heed the Lord Jesus is to obey Him. When
the Father announced: "This is My beloved
Son: hear Him," He called men to acknowl-
edge God's Son and obey Him. Luke 9:35.
The Decalogue and the Covenants
9.
In his second address in the book
of Deuteronomy, what two things did
Moses impress upon the Israelites as
vital in their attitude to "the statutes
and judgments" of God? What simi-
lar statement did Jesus make about
God's commandments? Deut. 5:1;
Matt. 19:17, last part.
NOTE.—"You shall learn them and be
careful to do them." "If you would enter
life, keep the commandments." R.S.V.
10.
With whom does Moses insist
that God made His covenant? Deut.
5:2, 3.
NoTE.—"Not . . . with our fathers, but
with us." The covenant did not belong to
the past, It was a present blessing and
obligation.
"The agreements between God and the
`fathers' were personal in nature. At Sinai,
for the first time in history, God entered
into an agreement with an entire nation,
He was to be their King, and they His peo-
ple."—S.D.A.
Bible Commentary,
on Deut.
5:3. God's dealings are with a nation only
insofar as its individual members are con-
cerned.
11.
What did Moses recite as the
basis of God's covenant in Horeb?
Deut. 5:4-21. Compare Ex. 24:7, 8.
12.
In what appealing words did
the Lord express to Moses the bless-
ings of obedience to all His com-
mands, statutes, and words? How did
our Lord speak of the blessings of
obedience to His commands? Deut.
5:29; John 15:10.
NoTE.—Obviously, obedience in Deuter-
onomy concerns both ceremonial and moral
precepts. The word "commandments" re-
fers to all the teachings by which God
wished to govern the life of His people,
including, of course, the Ten Command-
ments.
"That law had been given nearly forty
years before at Mount Sinai, with special
reference to the condition of the Israelites
in the wilderness; now it was given with
special reference to their life in the land
they were about to enter. In both instances
the moral law was given greater promi-
nence than the ceremonial law. The Ten
Commandments were uttered by the voice
of God to all the people from Mount Sinai.
The instructions about the making of the
tabernacle were given to Moses, alone, in
the mount. Practical laws of purity and
holiness in daily life were interwoven with
the laws of the sacrifices as related in
Leviticus and Numbers. In Deuteronomy
Moses addresses all the people, and the main
point that he insists on is the duty of
obedience."—A. M. Hodgkin,
Christ in All
the Scriptures,
page 36.
Surrender and Obedience
13.
In what great statement, quoted
in part by Christ, did Moses express
the relation between love and obedi-
ence? Deut 6:4-6. Compare Matt. 22:
37-39.
NOTE.—"We can never be saved by
works; but, if our salvation does not issue
in works, it is not salvation. It is not first
works, and then salvation. It is first sal-
vation, and then works. We do not be-
come saved by keeping the law; we can
only keep the law because we are saved.
All is of love, and a man cannot accept
God's grace, and then go on to break the
heart of the God who loved him so much."
—William Barclay,
The Mind of St. Paul,
page 171.
I 27 3
Lesson 8, for February 22, 1964
Redemption in the Historical Books: Joshua and Ruth
MEMORY VERSE:
"If it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day
whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on
the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell:
but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Joshua 24:15.
STUDY HELPS:
"Patriarchs and Prophets," pages 481, 482, 487, 488; "Prophets
and Kings," page 19; "The Desire of Ages," page 327.
AIM:
To observe (1) the guiding hand of God over His people as they entered
upon the conquest of Canaan, and, after the dark days of the judges, (2) the
manner in which earnest Gentiles were brought into the plan of redemption
and into the genealogy of the Messiah.
DAILY STUDY ASSIGNMENT AND RECORD
Check Here
Check Here
Sabbath afternoon: General survey.
Wednesday: Questions 10-13.
Sunday: Questions 1-3.
Thursday: Read study helps.
Monday: Questions 4-6.
Friday:
Review entire lesson.
Tuesday:
Questions 7-9.
Lesson Outline
Introduction
I. The Preparation for Conquest
1.
Joshua chosen for leadership.
Joshua 1:2; Deut. 34:9.
2.
Joshua assured of God's presence.
Joshua 1:5.
3.
Joshua encounters the heavenly
visitor. Joshua 5:13, first part.
II. The Captain of the Host
4.
The challenge of Joshua. Joshua
5:13 (last part), 14 (first part).
5.
The effect of the meeting on Joshua.
Joshua 5:14, second part.
6.
The Lord's reassurance to Joshua.
Joshua 5:15.
III. The Law of the Kinsman
7.
Elimelech's family faces famine.
Ruth
1:1-5.
8.
Ruth's deep convictions. Ruth 1:16.
9.
Boaz enters the picture. Ruth 2:1;
3:12.
IV. The Kinsman Redeemer
10.
The kinsman's actions. Ruth
4:1-6, 10.
11.
The blessing of Ruth's marriage.
Ruth 4:14, 21, 22.
12.
The operation of law and love.
Ruth 4:14, 15.
13.
The price of our redemption. Acts
20:28.
THE LESSON
Introduction
against idolatry, intermarriage with the
heathen, materialism, apostasy, were now
Joshua the warrior took the leadership in Joshua's mind, and other unknown perils
of Israel at a time of great danger. Canaan awaited Israel. Joshua withdrew from the
was a land of wicked, warlike nations, some Israelite armies for thought and prayer.
of them skilled in the use of "chariots of "He saw a Man of lofty stature, clad in
iron." Joshua 17:16. Moses' warnings warlike garments, with a drawn sword in
(
28
)
His hand. . . . It was the Son of God who
stood as an armed warrior before the leader
of Israel. It was the One who had con-
ducted the Hebrews through the wilder-
ness, enshrouded in a pillar of cloud by day
and a pillar of fire by night. In order to
impress the mind of Joshua that He was
no less than Christ, the Exalted One, He
said: 'Loose thy shoe from off thy foot.'
"—
Testimonies,
vol. 4, pp. 159, 160. This re-
markable encounter was a sign to Joshua to
go forward in the assurance of God's pres-
ence.
After Joshua's generation passed away
came the period of the judges, and with it
many dark episodes in Israel's history. Then
came the refreshing story of Ruth and Boaz,
showing that God had a place for Gentiles
in the plan of salvation. The book of Ruth
teaches many spiritual lessons, none greater
than that of the great kinsman Redeemer
who gave His life for our redemption.
The Preparation for Conquest
1.
What command came to Joshua
after the death of Moses? Why was
he chosen for leadership? Joshua 1:2;
Deut. 34:9.
2.
In what words was Joshua as-
sured of the divine presence in his
arduous tasks? Joshua 1:5.
NOTE.—"Joshua faced a great task with
a people who had so often failed in the past.
God here promises that He would not get
them into a situation and then leave them
there. He would see them through to the
end. The same holds true for Christians
(Matt. 28:20)."—S.D
A. Bible Commen-
tary,
on Joshua 1:5.
3.
What experience came to Joshua
near Jericho? Joshua 5:13, first part.
NoTE.—"To reduce Jericho was seen by
Joshua to be the first step in the conquest
of Canaan. But first of all he sought an
assurance of divine guidance, and it was
granted him. Withdrawing from the en-
campment to meditate and to pray that the
God of Israel would go before His people,
he beheld an armed warrior, of lofty stature
and commanding presence, 'with his sword
drawn in his hand.'
"—Patriarchs and
Prophets,
page 487.
The Captain of the Host
4.
How did Joshua challenge the
person with the drawn sword? By
what name did the Lord reveal Him-
self to Joshua? Joshua 5:13 (last
part), 14 (first part). Compare Joshua
6:2.
NorE.—"As Commander of the army of
the Lord I have now come." R.S.V.
"To Joshua's challenge, 'Art Thou for us,
or for our adversaries?' the answer was
given, 'As Captain of the host of the Lord
am I now come.' The same command given
to Moses in Horeb, 'Loose thy shoe from
off thy foot; for the place whereon thou
standest is holy,' revealed the true character
of the mysterious stranger. It was Christ,
the Exalted One, who stood before the
leader of
Israel."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
pages 487, 488.
5.
How did Joshua react when he
realized that he was in the divine
Presence? Joshua 5:14, second part.
NOTE.—"Awe-stricken, Joshua fell upon
his face and worshiped, and heard the as-
surance, 'I have given into thine hand Jeri-
cho, and the king thereof, and the mighty
men of valor,' and he received instruction
for the capture of the
city."—Patriarchs
and Prophets,
page 488.
6.
What reassuring words, previ-
ously spoken to Moses, were now ad-
dressed to Joshua, as he set out on the
conquest of Canaan? Joshua 5:15.
NoTE.—"To Moses there was given the
sign of the burning bush, accompanied by
the command to put off his shoes from off
his feet, because the place on which he
stood was holy ground. The same com-
mand was now given to Joshua as he
[29]
bowed prostrate in the presence of the
Prince of the host of the Lord, who stood
before him with the drawn sword in His
hand. This vision was symbolic of the mis-
sion of judgment upon the corrupt peoples
of the land which Israel, under the leader-
ship of Joshua, were now called upon to
undertake."—G. Campbell Morgan,
The
Graded Bible, vol.
2, p. 6.
The Law of the Kinsman
7.
Relate the circumstances under
which Ruth enters the Bible story.
Ruth 1:1-5.
Nom.—From the stern loyalties of Josh-
ua's generation (Joshua 24:31), Israel de-
generated swiftly into apostasy. The book
of Judges gives evidence of this dark period.
The book of Ruth may be thought of as
a concluding section to the book of Judges,
and as an introduction to the books of
Samuel. Elimelech—"My God is King"—
his wife Naomi, and their two sons Mahlon
and Chilion appear to have been among
God's faithful ones in an evil generation.
The Moabite women who married the sons
were evidently susceptible to the uplifting
influence of this God-fearing home, and one
of them, Ruth, and her mother-in-law
Naomi, became participants in a memorable
illustration of the kinsman laws of Israel.
Ten years after Elimelech and his family
went from Israel to Moab, the two lonely
women returned to Israel.
8.
What deep conviction on Ruth's
part was the reason for her noble
place in the subsequent history of
Elimelech's family and of Israel? Ruth
1:16.
9.
Who entered the story and was
used by God to turn Naomi's bitter-
ness to joy? By virtue of what fact did
this man enter the lives of Naomi and
Ruth? Ruth 2:1; 3:12.
NoTE.—The guiding hand of God brought
into this story a wealthy, kind, and honor-
able man named Boaz.
The law of the kinsman provided for the
regaining of property sold for debt (Lev.
25:25),
and for preserving the name of the
childless dead by the marriage of his
brother to the widow (Deut. 25:5; Ruth
3; 4).
The Kinsman Redeemer
10.
In what legal manner did Boaz
proceed to clear away the obstacles to
his redemption of the property of
Naomi, including the widow Ruth?
Ruth 4:1-6, 10.
NoTE.—"The keynote of the book of Ruth
is
The Kinsman Redeemer.
In him we see
Christ, who has purchased the church to be
His bride. 'Thirty times in this short book
the word "kinsman" is found, or "re-
deemer," "near kinsman," "next of kin,"
"kindred." . . . Our Lord Jesus had to be-
come one with man in order to have the
right to redeem. . . . No sinner can re-
deem himself, much less can he redeem his
brother (Ps. 49:7). He is therefore, as the
God-man, our Boaz ("Ability") ; by that
kinship and strength or ability, He is able
to save to the uttermost all that come unto
God by Him' (Pierson)."—A. M. Hodgkin,
Christ in All the Scriptures,
page 61.
11.
In what way did the marriage
of Ruth to Boaz become a blessing to
all concerned, and also to posterity?
Ruth 4:14, 21, 22.
Nom.—The birth of the child Obed ("ser-
vant;" that is, of God) brought Ruth into
the royal line of the progenitors of David,
who was in some respects a type of Christ.
With her new husband she is honored for
all time as an ancestor of Christ. Matt. 1:5.
"Had the Jewish nation appreciated the
lesson of the book of Ruth—that God is
no respecter of persons—their attitude
toward the Gentiles would have been vastly
different from what it was. They would
have been looking for a Messiah whose mis-
sion was to save all men from sin, whether
Jew or Gentile, and not merely for a Jewish
Messiah to save the Jewish nation from
bondage to Rome. There is a lesson for us
[ 30
I
also in the book of Ruth. If we will but
practice love and sympathy toward our
fellow men, many of them will say to us as
Ruth said to her mother-in-law, 'Thy peo-
ple shall be my people, and thy God my
God.'
"—S.D.A. Bible Commentary,
on
Ruth 4:17.
12. How is the operation of love
and law seen in this book, and in the
words of the women of Bethlehem to
Naomi? Ruth 4:14, 15.
Nom.—The love of a daughter-in-law is
stated in verse 15, and it brought blessing
upon the household.
The laws of Israel were scrupulously ob-
served when Boaz, before the elders, gave
the near relative of Naomi opportunity to
act as the kinsman redeemer,
13. With what strong words did
Paul exhort the elders of the church
at Ephesus with regard to the price
of our redemption? Acts 20:28.
Nom.—"Their responsibility was all the
greater in that the flock which they were
called upon to tend was no other than the
congregation of God which He had pur-
chased for Himself . • . and the ransom-
price was nothing less than the life-blood of
His beloved Son."—F.
F.
Bruce,
The Book
of Acts,
page 416..
Lesson 9, for February 29, 1964
Christ in the Psalms
MEMORY VERSE:
"These are the words which I spoke unto you, while
I
was yet
with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of
Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning Me." Luke 24:44.
STUDY HELPS:
"The Ministry of Healing," page 197; "The Desire of Ages," pages
741-752; "S. D.A. Bible Commentary."
AIM:
To observe the Messianic content of some of the psalms, which reveal cer-
tain offices, sufferings, and ultimate triumph of Messiah.
DAILY STUDY ASSIGNMENT AND RECORD
Check Here
Sabbath afternoon: General survey.
Sunday: Questions 1-4.
Monday: Questions 5-8.
Tuesday: Questions 9-11.
Wednesday: Questions 12, 13;
Check Here
begin reading study helps.
Thursday: Finish reading study
helps.
Friday: Review entire lesson.
Lesson Outline
Introduction
I. The Sonship of King Messiah
1.
Heathen rage against God and His
Antinted. Ps. 2:2; Acts 4:25-27.
2.
Divine attestation of Sonship. Ps.
2:7, 8; Acts 13:30-33.
3.
God's declaration of Kingship. Ps.
2:6.
4.
Heaven's exhortation to honor the
Son.
Ps.
2:12.
II. The Sufferings of Messiah
5.
The cry from the cross.
Ps.
22:1;
Matt. 27 :46.
6.
The assembly of the wicked. Ps.
22:16-18; Matt. 27:31, 35.
7.
The scorn and mockery. Ps. 22:7,
8, 15; Mark 15:29; Matt. 27:43;
John 19:28-30.
31 I
8.
The ascription of praise. Ps. 22:22;
Heb. 2:11, 12.
III. Messiah as Priest-King
9.
At God's right hand. Ps. 110:1;
Matt. 22 :42-45.
10.
A Priest forever. Ps. 110:4; Heb.
5:6.
11.
An eternal throne. Ps. 45:6; Heb.
1:6-8.
IV. Some Favorite Figures of Our
Lord
12.
The Good Shepherd. Ps. 23:1;
John 10:11.
13.
The Light of the world. John 8:12;
Ps. 27:1.
THE LESSON
Introduction
The title of this lesson is justified by
Christ's own words to the disciples gathered
together in Jerusalem after His resurrec-
tion, as they ate the broiled fish and honey-
comb: "All things must be fulfilled, which
were written . . . in the psalms, concern-
ing Me." Luke 24:44.
The word "psalms," as used by Christ
in Luke 24:44, refers to the third of the
three divisions of the Hebrew Old Testa-
ment, commonly called "The Writings."
This division included Ruth, First and Sec-
ond Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther,
Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of
Solomon, Lamentations, and Daniel. The
book of Psalms appears first in this sec-
tion of the Hebrew Bible, and thus gave its
name to the entire section.
David, poet-king and Sweet Singer of
Israel, stands at the head of the writers of
this book. Some seventy-three psalms are
ascribed to him, and he may have com-
posed some of the fifty anonymous psalms.
The quotations from and references in the
New Testament to the Psalms are numer-
ous; some have estimated as high as three
hundred. These religious poems and songs
have entered into the life of every Chris-
tian nation. They profoundly influenced
the Jewish nation, and helped to keep the
Messianic hope alive.
The Sonship of King Messiah
1. In what words does the psalmist
picture the wicked in rebellion
against "the Lord, and against His
Anointed"? Who is God's Anointed?
Ps. 2:2; Acts 4:25-27.
NOTE.—"The first of the Messiah psalms,
Ps. 2, has been appropriately called a Song
of the Lord's Anointed."—S.D.A.
Bible
Commentary,
vol. 3, p. 632.
"The Jews themselves admit that the
earliest interpretation of this psalm was
Messianic, and that the 'anointed' is 'King
Messiah.' "—J. J. S. Perowne,
The Book of
Psalms,
1888 ed., p. 15.
"The priests did all they could to keep
Christ's body where it had been laid. He
was sealed as securely in His tomb as if
He were to remain there through all time."
—The Desire of Ages,
page 778.
2.
What relationship of Christ to
God is mentioned in the same psalm?
What unique event served to rein-
force this relationship? Ps. 2:7, 8;
Acts 13:30-33.
NorE.—In Psalm 2:7 the Son refers to
the Father's decree of Sonship. In Acts 13:
33 Paul applies Psalm 2:7 to Christ's resur-
rection. Elsewhere he says that Jesus was
"declared to be the Son of God with power,
according to the Spirit of holiness, by the
resurrection from the dead." Rom. 1:4.
3.
What other title of the Son is
referred to in this psalm? Ps. 2:6.
Compare Matt. 21:5.
NOTE.—Here is what has been called
"God's own answer to them that oppose
Him. I (the pronoun is emphatic in the
Hebrew), the King of heaven and earth,
have set my own King, my Son, and my
vicegerent, upon the throne. . .
"On Zion, . . . the seat of dominion, the
center from which His law goes forth, etc.,
. . . there is a kind of anticipative hint of
the great truth which is first distinctly
[ 32 ]
taught in 110th Psalm, that the Anointed
King should also be the Anointed Priest."—
J. J. S. Perowne,
The Book of Psalms,
page 17.
4.
Whom are men exhorted to rev-
erence? Ps. 2:12.
NoTE.—"Kiss the Son.
That is, do rev-
erence to the Messiah, whom Jehovah has
declared to be His
Son."—S.D.A. Bible
Commentary,
on Ps. 2:12.
The Sufferings of Messiah
5.
Which words from one of the
Psalms did. Jesus utter on the cross?
Ps. 22:1; Matt. 27:46.
NOTE.-"Thp spotless Son of God took
upon Himself the burden of sin. He who
had been one with God, felt in His soul
the awful separation that sin makes be-
tween God and man. This wrung from His
lips the anguished cry, 'My God, My God,
why hast Thou forsaken Me?'
"—Steps to
Christ,
page 13.
6.
How was the psalmist's picture
of an innocent sufferer fulfilled at the
crucifixion? Ps. 22:16-18; Matt. 27:
31, 35.
NoTE.—"In the sufferings of Christ upon
the cross prophecy was fulfilled. . . . The
prophecy concerning His garments was car-
ried out without counsel or interference
from the friends or the enemies of the
Crucified One. To the soldiers who had
placed Him upon the cross, His clothing was
given. Christ heard the men's contention
as they parted the garments among them.
His tunic was woven throughout without
seam, and they said, 'Let us not rend it, but
cast lots for it, whose it shall
be.'"—The
Desire of Ages,
page 746.
7.
Trace in the New Testament the
fulfillment of the following statements
in Psalm 22: (a) "They . . . laugh
Me to scorn." Verse 7. See Mark 15:
29. (b) "He trusted on the Lord that
He would deliver Him." Verse 8. See
Matthew 27:43 and note the addition
of "for He said, I am the Son of God."
(c) "My tongue cleaveth to My jaws."
Verse 15. See John 19:28-30.
NOTE.—"In their mockery of the Sav-
iour, the men who professed to be the ex-
pounders of prophecy were repeating the
very words which Inspiration had foretold
they would utter upon this occasion. . . .
But although spoken in mockery, these
words led men to search the Scriptures as
they had never done before. Wise men
heard, searched, pondered, and prayed.
There were those who never rested until, by
comparing scripture with scripture, they
saw the meaning of Christ's mission. Never
before was there such a general knowledge
of Jesus as when He hung upon the cross.
Into the hearts of many who beheld the
crucifixion scene, and who heard Christ's
words, the light of truth was shining."—The
Desire of Ages,
page 749.
8.
How does the New Testament
apply the words of thanksgiving in
Psalm 22:22 to the victorious results
of Christ's crucifixion and resurrec-
tion? Ps. 22:22; Heb. 2:11, 12.
Messiah as Priest-King
9.
What great truth concerning the
Messiah was cited from the Psalms by
Christ to the Jewish leaders? Ps.
110:1; Matt. 22:42-45.
NoTE.—This psalm is quoted also in Mark
12:35-37; Acts 2:34.
"According to Jesus' statement the con-
versation occurred between God the Fa-
ther and God the Son. Christ is seated in
the place of highest honor in the universe,
the right hand of His Father (see Eph.
1:20-23; cf. 1 Cor. 15:24-28)."—S.D.A.
Bi-
ble Commentary,
on Ps. 110:1.
10.
What does the psalmist say
specifically regarding the priesthood
of Christ? Ps. 110:4; Heb. 5:6.
[ 38
NoTE.—"A priest for ever.
The strongest
possible language is employed to show that
Christ is an eternal Priest. He is so by
virtue of a promise of God confirmed by
an oath (see Heb. 7:21). This settles the
decree beyond all question.
"Order of Melchizedek.
In Christ the
priesthood and the kingship are united as
they were in Melchizedek, king of Salem,
priest of God (see Gen. 14:18; Heb. 5:6,
10; 6:20; 7:1-3, 11, 15, 17, 24,
28)."—
S.D.A. Bible Commentary,
on Ps. 110:4.
11. How are certain words of the
psalmist used to prove the divine Son-
ship and Kingship of Christ? Ps. 45:
6; Heb. 1:6-8.
NOTE.—"Here [Heb. 1:8] the Father ad-
dresses the Son reverently, calling Him God.
This may be considered the climax in the
argument on the position and dignity of
Christ. There can be no higher testimony
to the deity of Christ than this apostrophe
of the Father to the Son."—S.D.A.
Bible
Commentary,
on Heb. 1:8.
Some Favorite Figures of Our Lord
12.
By what Old Testament figure
did Jesus represent His love for man-
kind? Ps. 23:1; John 10:11.
NOTE.—"Christ applied these prophecies
[Ps. 23:1; Ezek. 34:23, 16, 25, 28] to Him-
self, and He showed the contrast between
His own character and that of the leaders
in Israel. The Pharisees had just driven
one from the fold, because he dared to bear
witness to the power of Christ. They had
cut off a soul whom the True Shepherd was
drawing to Himself. In this they had
shown themselves ignorant of the work
committed to them, and unworthy of their
trust as shepherds of the flock. Jesus now
set before them the contrast between them
and the Good Shepherd, and He pointed to
Himself as the real keeper of the Lord's
flock."—The
Desire of Ages,
page 477.
13.
What figure of speech, applied
by Jesus Himself, is used of Deity in
the Psalms? John 8:12; Ps. 27:1. Com-
pare Ps. 36:9.
Lesson 10, for March 7, 1964
The Messiah in the Prophecies of Isaiah
MEMORY VERSE:
"The Spirit
of the Lord God is upon Me; because the Lord hath
anointed Me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He hath sent Me to bind
up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of
the prison to them that are bound." Isaiah
61:1.
STUDY HELPS:
"The Desire of Ages," pages 578, 579; "Prophets and Kings," pages
689-697, 729-733; "S.D.A. Bible Commentary."
AIM:
To present the salient points of Messianic prophecy in the writings of "the
gospel prophet," and to observe their specific fulfillment in Jesus of Nazareth.
DAILY STUDY ASSIGNMENT AND RECORD
Check Here
Sabbath afternoon: General survey.
Check Here
reading study helps.
Sunday: Questions 1-4.
Thursday:
Finish reading study
Monday: Questions 5-8.
helps.
0
Tuesday:
Questions 9-11.
Friday:
Review entire lesson.
0
Wednesday: Questions 12, 13; begin
[ 34
]
came to break the yoke of bondage. See
Luke 4:18, 19. Jesus was a Child born of
Mary and a Son given by the Holy Ghost.
The government of the universe and of all
earthly nations is yet to become complete
and eternal in Christ's hands. See Dan.
2:44, 45; Matt. 25:31.
4.
What facts are stated in Isaiah's
third passage relating to the Messiah?
Isa. 11:1-5.
NOTE.—Mary, the mother of Jesus, in
thinking of Simeon's prophecy, recalled
Isaiah's words, "There shall come forth
a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a
Branch shall grow out of his roots," but
she did not at once understand them. See
The Desire of Ages,
page 56.
A clear picture of the Messiah is etched
in the words of this text. Isa. 11:1-5. With
these verses compare Daniel 2:43, 44 and
Revelation 19:11-21. In Isaiah 11:6-9 we
have a new-earth picture where rapacity
and destruction are eradicated and replaced
by peace and holiness.
The Messianic Age
5.
How does Isaiah portray the
physical and spiritual condition of
the new earth and of God's redeemed
people? Isa. 35:1-7.
NoTE.—The wilderness through which
ancient Israel toiled, the hard world through
which modern Israel journeys to the
heavenly Canaan, are to become a field of
flowers. Groaning and toiling are to give
place to rejoicing.
"When the ransomed of the Lord shall
have been safely gathered into the heavenly
Canaan, forever delivered from the bond-
age of the curse, under which 'the whole
creation groaneth and travaileth in pain
together until now' (Romans 8:22), they
will rejoice with joy unspeakable and full
of glory. Christ's great work of atonement
for men will then have been completed, and
their sins will have been forever blotted
out."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
page 542.
6.
What expressions denote the
character of the inhabitants of the
new world created by the Messiah?
How do men in this world find the
holy way to God? Isa. 35:8.
NoTE.—"An highway, . . . The way of
holiness." The material and spiritual pros-
perity of a loyal Israel would have at-
tracted men to God's people, and these
prophecies might have been fulfilled in this
world. But disloyalty left no "way of
holiness" by which men were drawn to God,
and only through men redeemed in Christ's
righteousness and in the new world can
these prophecies find complete fulfillment.
The Servant of God
7.
What designation used several
times by Isaiah was Matthew led to
apply to Jesus in His ministry for
fallen man? Isa. 42:1; Matt. 12:18.
Compare Isa. 49:6; 53:11.
8.
In what words does the prophet
further describe the work of the Mes-
siah? Isa. 49:5-7. Compare Luke 2:32.
NOTE.—"In the later centuries of Israel's
history prior to the first advent it was
generally understood that the coming of
the Messiah was referred to in the prophecy,
`It is a light thing that Thou shouldest be
My servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob,
and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will
also give Thee for a light to the Gentiles,
that Thou mayest be My salvation unto the
end of the
earth.'"—Prophets and Kings,
pages 688, 689.
The Suffering Saviour
9.
In what notable New Testament
incident is the prophecy of Isaiah 53
applied to the Messiah? Acts 8:26-35.
Compare Matt. 8:17; John 12:38.
NoTE.—"Who hath believed?
Who would
have believed the account of the humilia-
tion and exaltation of Messiah, the Lord's
Servant (see on ch. 52:7, 13-15) ! The story
of the Saviour's selfless love and His vicari-
E 36 ]
ous sacrifice—the theme of chs. 52:13 to
53:12—is the most amazing message, the
greatest 'good tidings' (see on ch. 52:7), of
time and eternity."—S.D.A.
Bible Commen-
tary,
on Isa. 53:1.
10.
What is said of the Messiah's
physical appearance? How are His
sufferings described, and why did He
suffer? Isa. 53:2-5, 7, 8. Compare
1 Peter 3:18.
NOTE.—"For more than a thousand years
the Jewish people had awaited the Saviour's
coming. Upon this event they had rested
their brightest hopes. In song and prophecy,
in temple rite and household prayer, they
had enshrined His name. And yet at His
coming they knew Him not. The Beloved
of heaven was to them 'as a root out of a
dry ground;' He had 'no form nor come-
liness;' and they saw in Him no beauty that
they should desire Him. 'He came unto His
own, and His own received Him not.' Isa.
53:2; John
1:11."—The Desire of Ages,
page 27.
"Wounded for our transgression."
"Christ
was treated as we deserve, that we might be
treated as He deserves. He was condemned
for our sins, in which He had no share, that
we might be justified by His righteousness,
in which we had no share. He suffered the
death which was ours, that we might re-
ceive the life which was His. 'With His
stripes we are healed.'
"—Ibid.,
p. 25.
11.
What other details of this
prophecy were recognized as fulfilled
in the experience of the Suffering
One? Isa. 53:9-11. Compare Acts 2:
23; Matt. 27:57-60.
NoTE.—Among other comparisons, the
following should be noted:
(1) "He made His grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in His death." See Matt.
27:57-60. (2) "There was no deceit in His
mouth" (R.S.V.). See 1 Peter 2:22. (3) "It
pleased the Lord to bruise Him." See Rom.
8:32. (4) "He shall see His seed." See John
1:12. (5) "He shall prolong His days" de-
spite His death on the cross. See Heb. 7:16,
R.S.V.; Rev. 1:18. (6) "The will of the
Lord shall prosper in His hand" (R.S.V.).
See Matt. 26:42; John 17:4. (7) "He shall
see of the travail of His soul, and shall be
satisfied." See Heb. 12:2.
The Gracious Work of the Saviour
12.
What work would the Spirit of
God empower Christ to do? What
application did Jesus make of this
prophecy? Isa. 61:1; Luke 4:18-21.
NOTE.—"The sixty-first chapter of Isaiah
testifies that Christ was to do the very work
He
did."—The Desire of Ages,
page 458.
"The Lord shall arise upon thee, and
His glory shall be seen upon thee.' [Isaiah
60:2.] Christ, the outshining of the Father's
glory, came to the world as its light. He
came to represent God to men, and of Him
it is written that He was anointed 'with the
Holy Ghost and with power,' and 'went
about doing good.'
"—Prophets and Kings,
page 718.
13.
How did Isaiah refer to the
work and saving grace and the judg-
ment of God? Isa. 61:1, 2. Compare
Luke 4:19.
Lesson 11, for March 14, 1964
Christ in Daniel and Some of the Minor Prophets
MEMORY VERSE:
"Behold,
I will send
you
Elijah the prophet before the coming of
the great and dreadful day of the Lord: and he shall turn the heart of the
fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest
I
come and smite the earth with a curse." Mal. 4:5, 6.
STUDY HELPS:
"Prophets and Kings," pages 499, 500, 503-513; "The Great Con-
troversy," page 425 (1950 subscription ed., pp. 418-420), and chapter 28.
37
AIM:
To present the unfolding of the Messianic hope in Daniel and certain of the
minor prophets and to emphasize the fact that, just as John called the people
to repentance before the first coming of Christ, there will be a great work of
revival and reformation before the second advent.
DAILY STUDY ASSIGNMENT AND RECORD
Check Here
Sabbath afternoon: General survey.
Sunday: Questions 1-3.
Monday: Questions 4-7.
Tuesday: Questions 8-10
Wednesday: Questions 11-13• begin
Check Here
reading study helps.
Thursday: Finish reading study
helps.
Friday: Review entire lesson.
0
Lesson Outline
Introduction
I. The Coming Kingdom of Christ
1.
History in outline. Dan. 2:31-35.
2.
Empires rise and fall. Dan. 2:34,
43, 44.
3.
Unending dominion. Dan. 2:44;
2 Tim. 4:1.
II. "The . . . Fourth Is Like the Son of
God"
4.
The fire that did not destroy. Dan.
3:23-25, first part.
5.
The form of the fourth. Dan.
3:25, last part.
III. An Awesome Judgment Scene
6. The Ancient of Days and the Son
of man. Dan. 7:9, 10, 13.
7. The two phases of judgment.
Luke 19:12-15.
IV. The Plan of Salvation Vindicated
8. A time prediction. Dan. 8:13, 14, 27.
9. Reckoning the time. Dan. 9:24, 25.
10. A cleansing and its meaning. Dan.
8:14; Heb. 8:1, 2.
V. Events Connected With the Coming
of the Lord
11. Things that might have been.
Zech. 14:1-4.
12. Revival in power. Mal. 4:5, 6, first
part.
13. Reform and judgment. Mal. 4:2, 6.
THE LESSON
The Coming Kingdom of Christ
1. By what symbol did God present
to Nebuchadnezzar the course of
world history from his day to the
end of time? Dan. 2:31-35.
Introduction
Daniel and the twelve minor prophets
make their contribution to the increasingly
clear portrayal of Messiah throughout the
Old Testament, but in this lesson we can
deal only with parts of Daniel, Zechariah,
and Malachi.
Daniel was "greatly beloved" of God.
See Dan. 10:11;
The Great Controversy,
page 470.
Zechariah, doubtless born during Baby-
lonian captivity, encouraged the harrassed
temple builders and pictured a glorious
future. A century later Malachi spoke of
a messenger of God preparing men for the
great day of the Lord.
NorE.—The succession of empires is thus
depicted: (1) According to Daniel 2:38, the
dominion of Babylon had come to the king
by God's grant. (See verses 37, 38; Jer.
27:5-7.) (2) In Daniel
2
:39 (compare chap-
ter 8:20) we read that the Medo-Persian
Empire was to succeed the Chaldean; (3)
in Daniel 2:39 (compare chapter 8:21),
[ 38 ]
that the Persians were to give way to the
Grecians; (4) and in Daniel 2:40, and 9:26,
that the fourth empire is evidently Rome.
2.
What was to occur in the days of
the divided world after the fourth
kingdom passed away? Dan. 2:34,
43, 44.
NoTE.—This passing of empires marks
the progress of history toward the establish-
ment of the kingdom of Christ. In this
sense Christ's kingdom is the goal of history,
and He is therefore visible to the eye of
faith. See
Prophets and Kings,
pages 499,
500.
3.
When is the "kingdom which
shall never be destroyed" to be es-
tablished? Whose kingdom is it? Dan.
2:44; 2 Tim. 4:1.
NOTE.—The Bible plainly declares that
the kingdom of God was still future at the
time of our Lord's last Passover. Matt.
26:29. Christ did not set up the kingdom
before His ascension. Acts 1:6. We read
further that "flesh and blood cannot in-
herit the kingdom of God." 1 Cor. 15:50. It
is a matter of promise to the apostles, and
to all those who love God. James 2:5. It
is promised in the future to the little flock.
Luke 12:32.
"The . . . Fourth Is Like the
Son of God"
4.
What did the astonished Nebu-
chadnezzar see when he looked into
the fiery furnace where he had cast
the three young Hebrews? Dan. 3:
23-25, first part.
NOTE.—"Four men loose, walking in the
midst of the fire, and they have no hurt."
This was a dramatic fulfillment of God's
promise to the Hebrews: "When thou walk-
est through the fire, thou shalt not be
burned." Isa. 43:2.
5.
To whom did Nebuchadnezzar
liken the fourth figure in the furnace?
Dan. 3:25, last part.
NOTE.—"How did that heathen king know
what the Son of God was like? The He-
brew captives . . . had in life and char-
acter represented before him the truth. . . .
They had told of Christ, the Redeemer to
come; and in the form of the fourth in the
midst of the fire the king recognized the Son
of
God."—Prophets and Kings,
page 509.
An Awesome Judgment Scene
6.
What scene was shown to Daniel
in his vision of the Ancient of Days
and the Son of man? Dan. 7:9, 10, 13.
NOTE.—"Thus was presented to the
prophet's vision the great and solemn day
when the characters and the lives of men
should pass in review before the Judge of
all the earth, and to every man should be
rendered 'according to his works.' The An-
cient of Days is God the Father. Says the
psalmist: 'Before the mountains were
brought forth, or ever Thou hadst formed
the earth and the world, even from ever-
lasting to everlasting, Thou art God.' Psalm
90:2. It is He, the source of all being, and
the fountain of all law, that is to preside
in the judgment."—The
Great Controversy,
page 479.
7.
How is the receiving of the
eternal kingdom by Christ represented
in the parable of the nobleman? Luke
19:12-15.
NOTE.—"Christ had received His king-
dom, having made the atonement for His
people and blotted out their sins. The sub-
jects of the kingdom were made up. The
marriage of the Lamb was consummated.
And the kingdom, and the greatness of the
kingdom under the whole heaven, was given
to Jesus and the heirs of salvation."—Early
Writings,
page 280.
The Plan of Salvation
Vindicated
8. What extended time prophecy
concerning the sanctuary was not un-
derstood by Daniel? Dan. 8:13, 14, 27.
[
39]
Nom.—"The cleansing of the heavenly
sanctuary comprehends the entire work of
final judgment, beginning with the investi-
gative phase and ending with the executive
phase, which results in the permanent eradi-
cation of sin from the universe.
"A significant feature of the final judg-
ment is the vindication of God's character
before all the intelligences of the universe."
—S.D.A. Bible Commentary,
on Dan. 8:14.
Compare Rev. 15:3; 16:5, 7.
9.
From what significant event is
the 2,300-day prophecy to be dated?
Dan. 9:24, 25.
10.
How is the cleansing of the
heavenly sanctuary in 1844 to be un-
derstood? Who is its central figure?
Dan. 8:14; Heb. 8:1, 2.
Nom.—"As the typical cleansing of the
earthly was accomplished by the removal
of the sins by which it had been polluted,
so the actual cleansing of the heavenly is
to be accomplished by the removal, or blot-
ting out, of the sins which are there re-
corded. But before this can be accom-
plished, there must be an examination of the
books of record to determine who, through
repentance of sin and faith in Christ, are
entitled to the benefits of His atonement.
The cleansing of the sanctuary therefore in-
volves a work of investigation—a work of
judgment. . . .
"While the investigative judgment is go-
ing forward in heaven, while the sins of
penitent believers are being removed from
the sanctuary, there is to be a special work
of purification, of putting away of sin,
among God's people upon earth. This work
is more clearly presented in the messages
of Revelation
14."—The Great Controversy,
pages 421-425.
Events Connected With the
Coming of the Lord
11.
How does Zechariah set forth
events to be fulfilled preparatory to
the establishment of the Messianic
kingdom? Zech. 14:1-4.
Nom.—Many statements in Zechariah 14
clearly refer to God's plan for Israel to en-
lighten the earth in preparation for the
Messiah's kingdom. How all of this would
have been fulfilled we do not know. But at
the close of the thousand years "the Lord
my God shall come, and all the saints with
Thee." "And His feet shall stand in that
day upon the Mount of Olives, which is be-
fore Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount
of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof,
. . . and there shall be a very great valley."
"And the Lord shall be King over all the
earth: in that day shall there be one Lord,
and His name one." Zech. 14:5, 4, 9.
12.
Who is to appear "before the
coming of the great and dreadful day
of the Lord"? What work of revival
will be accomplished? Mal. 4:5, 6,
first part.
Nom.—This prophecy led to a Jewish ex-
pectancy of Elijah in person, as when they
asked John the Baptist, "Art thou Elias?"
John 1:21. The angel's words to Zacharias
apply this prophecy to John: "Many of the
children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord
their God. And he shall go before Him in
the spirit and power of Elias." Luke 1:
16, 17.
"Today, in the spirit and power of Elias
and of John the Baptist, messengers of
God's appointment are calling the atten-
tion of a judgment-bound world to the
solemn events soon to take place in connec-
tion with the closing hours of probation and
the appearance of Christ Jesus as King of
kings and Lord of
lords."—Prophets and
Kings,
page 716.
13.
How does Malachi, in his clos-
ing verses, contrast the fate of the
wicked and the destiny of the righ-
teous? Mal. 4:2, 6.
NoTE.—"Smite the earth with a curse."
"The OT closes with this solemn warning.
Those who do not truly repent must be
numbered with the wicked and suffer their
fate (Mal. 4:1). Nevertheless, Malachi pre-
sents a message of hope, for the same God
who destroys the guilty brings everlasting
`healing' (v. 2) to the repentant."—S.D.A.
Bible Commentary,
on Mal. 4:6.
[ 40
Lesson 12, for March 21, 1964
The Victorious Christ in the Book of Revelation
MEMORY VERSE:
"He hath on His vesture
and
on His thigh a name written, King
of kings, and Lord of lords." Rev. 19:16.
STUDY HELPS:
"The Desire of Ages," pages 739, 740, 832; "Testimonies," vol. 9,
pp. 267-269; "The Great Controversy," pages 333, 334, 426, 427, 641-644,
(1950 subscription ed., pp. 327, 328, 420-422, 632-635); "Early Writings,"
pages 285-288; "S.D.A. Bible Commentary."
AIM:
To discover Christ as the central figure in the last book of the Bible, where
He is presented as the Victor in the agelong conflict between good and evil.
DAILY STUDY ASSIGNMENT AND RECORD
Check Here
Sabbath afternoon: General survey.
Sunday: Questions 1-5.
Monday: Questions 6, 7.
Tuesday: Questions 8-10.
Wednesday: Questions 9-13;
Check
Here
begin reading study helps.
Thursday: Finish reading study
helps.
Friday: Review entire lesson.
Lesson Outline
Introduction
I. The Second Coming of Christ
1.
Apparent to
all. Rev. 1:7, first part.
2.
Lamented by many. Rev. 1:7,
second part.
II. The Worship of the Lamb
3.
"Who is worthy?" Rev. 5:1-4.
4.
"Behold, the Lion." Rev. 5:5-7.
5.
"Worthy is the Lamb." Rev. 5:9-13.
III. The Imminent Return
6. Events under the sixth seal. Rev.
6:12, 13.
7. Reactions of the unprepared. Rev.
6:14-17.
IV. The Return in Glory
8. The Reaper. Rev. 14:14.
9. The harvest. Rev. 14:15, 16.
10. The two groups. Rev. 14:16-20.
V. The King of Kings
11. The marriage of the Lamb. Rev.
19:7, 8.
12. The Rider on the white horse. Rev.
19:11.
13. The conquering King. Rev.
19:13-16.
THE LESSON
of the all-merciful One, silently, patiently
working out the counsels of His own will'
(Ed
173)."—S.D.A. Bible Commentary, vol.
7,
p. 724.
The Second Coming of Christ
1. What important announcement
is made early in the book of Revela-
tion? Rev. 1:7, first part.
[41
]
Introduction
The Greek noun rendered "apocalypse"
means a revelation, a disclosure, an unveil-
ing. "Here more completely than elsewhere
in Holy Writ the curtain that separates the
invisible from the visible is drawn aside in
order to reveal, 'behind, above, and through
all the play and counterplay of human in-
terests and power and passions, the agencies
NoTE.—"The second coming of Christ is
the goal toward which all else moves for-
ward. Significantly, he uses the present
tense, 'He cometh,' thereby stressing the
certainty of the event, perhaps also with a
sense of its imminence."—S.D
.A. Bible Com-
mentary,
on Rev. 1:7.
2.
How is the lament of the lost
expressed in this connection? What
lesson should men learn from this
lament? Rev. 1:7, second part. Com-
pare Jer. 8:20; Zech. 12:10.
NOTE.—"I do not wonder that worldlings
and half-Christians have no love for this
doctrine, or that they hate to hear about
Christ's speedy coming. It is the death knell
of their gaieties and pleasures—the turning
of their confidence to consternation—the
conversion of their songs to shrieks of hor-
ror and despair. There is a day coming,
when 'the loftiness of man shall be bowed
down, and the haughtiness of man shall be
made low.'"—J. A. Seiss,
The Apocalypse,
ninth ed., vol. 1, pp. 57, 58.
The Worship of the Lamb
3.
What question was asked con-
cerning the scroll in the right hand
of "Him that sat on the throne"?
What effect did the lack of an an-
swer have on John? Rev. 5:1-4.
NOTE.—" 'His blood be on us, and on our
children.' Matt. 27:24, 25. Thus the Jewish
leaders made their choice. Their decision
was registered in the book which John saw
in the hand of Him that sat upon the
throne, the book which no man could
open."—Christ's Object Lessons,
page 294.
4.
In answer to his sorrow, to what
dramatic scene was John directed?
Rev. 5:5-7.
NOTE.—"The imposing names which the
Old Testament gave to the Messiah—the
Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of
David (Gen. 49; Isa. 11)—are fulfilled in
Christ. He has conquered. . . . Jesus Christ
is absolute victor; for in this one word the
Apocalypse always sums up His whole sav-
ing work."—Hans Lilje,
The Last Book of
the Bible,
pages 114, 115.
5.
What song was sung by the el-
ders who fell down to worship the
Lamb? By an innumerable throng of
angels? By every created being? Rev.
5:9-13.
NorE.—"As the nations of the saved look
upon their Redeemer and behold the
eternal glory of the Father shining in His
countenance; as they behold His throne,
which is from everlasting to everlasting,
and know that His kingdom is to have no
end, they break forth in rapturous song:
`Worthy, worthy is the Lamb that was
slain, and hath redeemed us to God by His
own most precious blood !'
"—The Great
Controversy,
pages 651, 652.
The Imminent Return
6.
What events transpire under the
opening of the sixth seal? Rev. 6:
12, 13.
NOTE.—The great earthquake of Lisbon,
November 1, 1755, and the darkening of the
sun and of the moon, May 19, 1780, are
also foretold in Joel 2:31. (See
The Great
Controversy,
page 308.) The falling of the
stars in 1833 was the last of these signs.
Compare Christ's words in Matthew 24:29.
"Christ had bidden His people watch for
the signs of His advent, and rejoice as they
should behold the tokens of their coming
King. 'When these things begin to come to
pass,' He said, 'then look up, and lift up
your heads; for your redemption draweth
nigh.'
"—The Great Controversy,
page 308.
7.
How will the great men of earth
react to the physical upheavals which
attend the second advent? Rev. 6:
14-17.
NOTE.—"Wrath." Men who knew and re-
jected Jesus on earth as the meek and
lowly One, realize that they will meet Him
now as the King of kings, and Judge of all
men. Terror will reign over the whole earth,
while the foundations of life are crumbling
in this catastrophic scene.
"We stand between the 13th and 14th
142 ]
verses of this chapter. We wait for the
heavens to depart as a scroll when it is rolled
together. These are times of unparalleled
solemnity and importance, for we do not
know how near we may be to the fulfill-
ment of these things."—Uriah Smith,
Daniel
and the Revelation
(revised ed., p. 449.
Compare Heb. 12:25-27; Rev. 16:17.
The Return in Glory
8.
For what epochal event does the
third angel's message prepare the
world? Rev. 14:14.
NOTE.—"Soon appeared the great white
cloud, upon which sat the Son of man.
When it first appeared in the distance, this
cloud looked very small. The angel said
that it was the sign of the Son of man. As
it drew nearer the earth, we could behold
the excellent glory and majesty of Jesus
as He rode forth to conquer. A retinue of
holy angels, with bright, glittering crowns
upon their heads, escorted Him on His way.
No language can describe the glory of the
scene. The living cloud of majesty and un-
surpassed glory came still nearer, and we
could clearly behold the lovely person of
Jesus. He did not wear a crown of thorns,
but a crown of glory rested upon His holy
brow. Upon His vesture and thigh was a
name written, King of kings, and Lord of
lords."—Early
Writings,
pages 286, 287.
9.
What great work is done among
the nations by our Lord when He
comes in the clouds of glory? Rev.
14:15, 16.
NOTE.—" 'He that sat on the cloud,' says
the prophecy, 'thrust in His sickle on the
earth; and the earth was reaped.' By this
language we are carried past the second
advent, with its accompanying scenes of
destruction to the wicked and salvation to
the righteous. Beyond these scenes we must
therefore look for the application of the
following verses."—Daniel
and the Revela-
tion,
revised ed., p. 678.
10.
What two phases of the world's
harvest are brought to view in the
actions of the Son of man and the two
angels who come out of the heavenly
temple? Rev. 14:16-20.
NoTE.—Verses 16 and 17, dealing with the
gathering of the righteous, is represented by
the wheat in the parable of Matthew 13:
25-30. Verses 18 to 20 refer to the wicked
under the figure of clusters of fully ripe
grapes. These are the tares of the above-
mentioned parable.
The King of Kings
11.
Under what figure is Christ's
acceptance of His kingdom portrayed?
Rev. 19:7, 8. Compare Matthew 22:
1-14.
NOTE.—"The
marriage of the Lamb."
"I
saw that while Jesus was in the most holy
place he would be married to the New
Jerusalem; and after His work should be
accomplished in the holiest, He would de-
scend to the earth in kingly power and take
to Himself the precious ones who had
patiently waited His return."—Early
Writ-
ings,
page 251.
12.
By what name is the Lord Jesus
Christ called as the Rider on the white
horse? Rev. 19:11.
NOTE.—"Faithful and True."
"Several de-
tails in the first verses of this vision are
influenced by the Old Testament. Thus the
name of Christ as 'Faithful and True'
(verse 11) ; he assumes the Hebrew name
Emeth (faithfulness) and
Amen.
The first
name is one of the most beautiful titles ap-
plied to God in the Old Testament. The
rabbis called it the 'Seal of God,' because
this word, consisting of three letters, com-
prised the first, the middle, and the last
letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Thus Christ
is the beginning and the end of the ways
of God, or—as the Apocalypse expresses it
elsewhere—Alpha and Omega."—Hans Lilje,
The Last Book of the Bible,
page 244.
13.
What supreme title appears on
the vesture of our Lord as He rides
forth with the avenging armies of
heaven? Rev. 19:13-16.
NoTE.—King of kings.
"When Christ shall
come to the earth again, not as a prisoner
( 43 3
surrounded by a rabble will men see Him.
They will see Him then as heaven's King.
Christ will come in His own glory, in the
glory of His Father, and the glory of the
holy angels. Ten thousand times ten thou-
sand, and thousands of thousands of angels,
the beautiful and triumphant sons of God,
possessing surpassing loveliness and glory,
will escort Him on His
way."—The Desire
of Ages,
page 739.
Lesson 13, for March 28, 1964
We Have Found the Messiah
MEMORY VERSE:
"He
first
findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We
have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ." John 1:41.
STUDY HELPS:
"The Desire of Ages," pages 476-484; "S.D.A. Bible Commentary."
AIM:
To gather up some of the remaining specific prophecies identifying Messiah,
and to lead to acceptance of Jesus as our personal Redeemer.
DAILY STUDY ASSIGNMENT AND RECORD
Check Here
Check Here
Sabbath afternoon: General survey.
Wednesday:
Questions 9-12.
Sunday: Questions 1-3.
Thursday:
Read study helps.
Monday: Questions 4-6.
Friday:
Review entire lesson.
Tuesday:
Questions 7, 8.
Lesson Outline
Introduction
I. Christ the Central Theme of the
Scriptures
1.
The source of information. John
5:39, 40.
2.
The birthplace of the coming Ruler.
Micah 5:2.
3.
The new covenant. Heb. 8:1, 2,
6-10.
II. Some Titles and Works of the
Messiah
4.
Three offices in one Person. Deut.
18:15; Ps. 110:4; Zech. 9:9.
5.
Miraculous works. Isa. 42:7; Luke
4:18.
6. Resurrection and redemption. Job
19:25, 26; Ps. 17:15; John 11:25.
III. The Crucifixion of Christ in
Prophecy
7. Betrayed for the price of a slave.
Matt. 26:15; 27:9; Zech. 11:12, 13.
8. Treated as a criminal. Isa. 53:7;
50:6; 53:5; Ps. 22:7, 8; 69:21.
IV. Post-Crucifixion Events
9. The ascension. Ps. 2:6, 7; 68:18;
110:1, 4.
10. The return of the King. Ezek.
21:27.
V. "Lord and Christ"
11. Accredited by God. Acts 2:22, 36.
12. Accepted by men. John 1:41.
THE LESSON
Peter met the Roman centurion, Cornelius,
and in brief terms traced the leading facts
of the life, work, and death of Christ, he
added, 'To Him give all the prophets wit-
ness.' The apostle Peter was right. There
are four hundred and fifty-six references in
the Old Testament to the Messiah and Mes-
sianic times."—Aaron J. Kligerman,
Mes-
44
1
Introduction
Perhaps no exact count of the Old Testa-
ment references to the Messiah can be made,
because they are direct and indirect, obvi-
ous and obscure, according to the believer's
perception. A well-known Christian of Jew-
ish background says: "When the apostle
sianic Prophecy in the Old Testament,
page
140.
Christ the Central Theme of the
Scriptures
1.
What fact stated by Jesus reveals
the necessity of searching the Scrip-
tures? John 5:39, 40.
NoTE.—"You search the Scriptures, be-
cause you think that in them you have
eternal life; and it is they that bear wit-
ness to Me; yet you refuse to come to Me
that you may have life." R.S.V.
"It was Christ that spoke to His people
through the prophets. The apostle Peter,
writing to the Christian church, says that
the prophets 'prophesied of the grace that
should come unto you: searching what, or
what manner of time the
Spirit of Christ
which was in them did signify, when it
testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ
and the glory that should follow.' 1 Peter
1:10, 11. It is the voice of Christ that
speaks to us through the Old Testament."—
Patriarchs and Prophets,
pages 366, 367.
2.
In what words did the Scriptures
foretell the birthplace of the Messiah?
Micah 5:2.
NoTE.—"Although founded by a descend-
ant of the heroic Caleb (1 Chron. 2:50, 51),
and in the times of the judges for seven years
the seat of Ibzan the judge (Judges 12:
8-10), in the centuries before David Beth-
lehem Ephratah (House of Bread, the fruit-
ful) enters the history of Israel only with
a very inglorious reputation, connected in-
deed with death and mourning (Gen. 35:
19, 20), idolatry (Judges 17:7ff.), immoral-
ity, fratricidal strife (Judges 19 to 21), and
famine (Ruth 1:1). But it was from this
very city that God, who always conde-
scends to the lowly, chose for Himself the
ancestor of the Messiah; and thus Bethle-
hem Ephratah, as David's city, became the
place in which 'Christ the Lord' should be
born (Mic. 5:2; Luke 2:11) ."—Erich Sauer,
Dawn
of World Redemption,
page 159.
3.
How is the new covenant men-
tioned in Jeremiah 31:31-33 related to
Christ's heavenly ministry? Heb. 8:1,
2, 6-10.
NOTE.—Through our faith in His sacrifice
on the cross and ministry in the true taber-
nacle, Christ writes His laws on human
hearts. The Gentiles were included in this
covenant work of the Messiah. Sanctified
people in the Old Testament experienced the
new covenant. Isa. 49:6-9.
"Though this covenant was made with
Adam and renewed to Abraham, it could
not be ratified until the death of Christ. It
had existed by the promise of God since the
first intimation of redemption had been
given; it had been accepted by faith; yet
when ratified by Christ, it is called a
new
covenant."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
pages
370, 371.
Some Titles and Works of the
Messiah
4.
What three high offices in Israel
were united in Jesus? Deut. 18:15;
Ps. 110:4; Zech. 9:9. Compare John
6:14; Heb. 5:6; Matt. 21:5.
NOTE.—"In Messianic prophecy the term
[Christ] came to be applied specifically to
the
Messiah, who, as Prophet (Deut 18:15),
Priest (Zec 6:11-14), and King (Is 9:6, 7),
was the One ordained to be the Redeemer
of the world."—S.D.A.
Bible Dictionary,
page 192.
5.
What prophecy indicates the
work of the Messiah? Isa. 42:7; Luke
4:18. Compare John 9:39.
NoTE.—"Every miracle that Christ per-
formed was a sign of His divinity. He was
doing the very work that had been fore-
told of the Messiah. . . . The greatest sig-
nificance of His miracles is seen in the fact
that they were for the blessing of human-
ity. The highest evidence that He came
from God is that His life revealed the char-
acter of God. He did the works and spoke
the words of God. Such a life is the great-
est of all miracles."—The
Desire of Ages,
pages 406, 407.
6.
How did the various Old Testa-
ment writers express faith in the re-
demption of body and soul through
a resurrection from the dead? Job
19:25, 26; Ps. 17:15; John 11:25.
45 1
NOTE.-"My
redeemer. . . .
This text
[Job 19:25] represents one of the OT reve-
lations of God as man's redeemer, a pro-
found truth that was fully revealed to men
in the person and mission of Jesus Christ.
"The latter day. . . .
The wording of vs.
25 and 26 indicates that the divine vindica-
tion would take place when God would
`stand . . . upon the earth' and when Job
would 'see God.' This is an unmistakable
glimpse of the resurrection."—S.D.A.
Bible
Commentary,
on Job 19:25.
The Crucifixion of Christ in
Prophecy
7.
For what price was our Lord be-
trayed? Matt. 26:15; 27:9; Zech. 11:
12, 13.
NoTE.—Zechariah 11 is a warning to
Israel not to turn against God's leadership
and forsake His covenant. "Give me my
price," says Zechariah, speaking for
the
Shepherd of Israel. The niggardly price
weighed out is thirty shekels. Christians
have always connected this prophecy with
the betrayal price paid to Judas.
"For thirty pieces of silver—the price of
a slave—he sold the Lord of glory to
ignominy and death. .. . The love of mam-
mon overbalanced his love for Christ"—
The Desire of Ages,
page 716.
8.
How were certain predictions
fulfilled in the trial of Jesus? Isa.
53:7 (compare Matt. 26:63); Isa. 50:6;
53:5; Ps. 22:7, 8 (compare Matt. 26:
67; 27:26); Ps. 69:21 (compare John
19:28, 29).
NoTE.—When the direct prophecies com-
prising the Messianic picture are studied in
the light of their fulfillment, the devout
student can often see relevance in other Old
Testament statements that may not in
themselves be directly Messianic in nature.
Events at first not understood take on new
significance to him who has recognized the
Christ on the cross as the Messiah.
Post-Crucifixion Events
9.
How does the psalmist refer to
the ascension and priesthood of
Christ? Ps. 2:6, 7; 68:18; 110:1, 4.
NorE.—Psalm 2 is shown by Acts 3:30-33
to be a Messianic prophecy. (See lesson 9.)
Paul in Ephesians 4:8-10 applies Psalm
68:18 to Christ's ascension "far above all
heavens." Psalm 110 is a great Messianic
psalm which presents Christ as eternal
Priest and King. This can be realized only
through the resurrection, "when He [God]
raised Him from the dead, and set Him
at His own right hand in the heavenly
places, far above all principality, and power,
and might, and dominion." Eph. 1:20, 21.
10.
What did the prophet Ezekiel
say would be Israel's experience until
the coming of the rightful King to
claim the kingdom? Ezek. 21:27.
NOTE.—"Not until Christ Himself should
set up His kingdom was Judah again to be
permitted to have a king. 'I will overturn,
overturn, overturn, it,' was the divine edict
concerning the throne of the house of
David; 'and it shall be no more, until He
come whose right it is; and I will give it
Him.'
"—Prophets and Kings,
page 451.
"Lord and Christ"
11.
How did Peter show that Jesus
of Nazareth was the Messiah? Acts
2:22, 36.
NoTE.—"Some of these pilgrims [in Jeru-
salem at festivals] were men of fervent
piety and earnest students of the prophecies.
They were looking and longing for the
advent of the promised Messiah, the hope
of Israel. . . . Faithfully and wisely they
[the apostles] labored, testifying of the
things they had seen and heard, and appeal-
ing to 'a more sure word of prophecy' (2
Peter 1:19), in an effort to persuade 'the
house of Israel . . . that God hath made
that same Jesus, whom' the Jews 'crucified,
both Lord and Christ.'
"—The Acts of the
Apostles,
page 165.
12.
What conclusion did John and
Andrew come to after only brief con-
tact with Jesus? John 1:41.
NoTE.—"If John and Andrew had pos-
sessed the unbelieving spirit of the priests
and rulers, they would not have been found
[ 46 ]
I
SOUTH AMERICAN DIVISION'
S
UNION MISSION
POPULATION
"
CHURCHES
CM
MEM.
AUSTRAL U.C.
3 064,399
174
24,099
EAST BRAZIL U.C.
31,860,000
123
21,455
INCA
U.M.
1 ,510,866
124
31,486
NO. BRAZIL U.N.
9,881,012
33
6,697
SO. BRAZIL U.C.
19,087,337
168
44,379
DIVISION TOTALS
111,403,614
622
128,116
SS. MEM
.
ATLANTIC OCEAN
PROJECTS:
I.
To Establish a Boarding Academy for.
the Youth of North BroxiL
151,845
2. To Better Equip Our Medical Launches,
and Improve our Medical Work
in
the
North Brasil Union.
/
i
COLOMBIA
k..., VENEZUELA
... 103A VISTA
%
i00
[115
LU Elr0 IV"
.••••
--•--
,_
.-y,
.
'
L
c.
,..a.-
4
`
.
TER. OF RIO BRANCO
ER. 0 AMA PA
ACA, [MT
10 NEGRO
EQUATOR
LUZEIRO V
juo SOLIM
axon
Mission)
(Gerard A
AMAZONAS lAmareal
M
ACAPA.g4;)
1111V;Agr,7:71...,
Th
11.10.
MAMIO
No. Bral
ON
mum /
Lalae, Ann!lon Mission)
241Mia -
L
ZEIROV)
PARA
RIO TOCANTI
NS
0 LUIS
r
ERESINA
MARANHXO
TER. OF ACRE
• pq
••••
RIO BRANCO
• TER. OF RONDONI
BOLIVIA